Control
by CarlyJx
Summary: Rogues desperation for control leads her to a certain Cajun thief promising her everything shes ever wanted “What’s the catch?” She asks “Der is one.” He replies, if only she knew. Meanwhile Remy struggles with a different type of control all togeth
1. Unwanted gift

_Disclaimers: I'm a unenployed college drop out (planning on going back this year though) I drive around in a little red car that cost me more to get repaired then it did to buy_, _and it contuines breaking on me. Do I really need to say it? Okay, here it goes. I do not own Marvel, pretty obviouse huh?_

_I just want to say thanks to my awsome Beta reader, Ice, who has done a fantastic job. Thank you so much. Now on with the show..  
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Chapter 1

"Every girl has a dream. A secret desire she hides in her heart. A wish waiting upon that perfect star. This girl is no different. Here is her story..."

_Narrator, on Rogue – X-men: Fairytales #3_

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It had been six months since Rogue took the cure, six months of being able to touch people, six months of feeling normal. As she now looked at the unconscious Bobby on her bedroom floor, normal was one last thing she was feeling.

She would have been freaked if this was the first time something like this had happened, but it wasn't and that was the problem. The exact same thing had happened before; David was in a comma for two weeks after she touched him. Rogue had known her powers would come back; everyone knew that the cure wasn't permanent. Reports of hundreds of mutants getting their 'gifts' back was the only thing on TV, but deep down, Rogue had been hoping that maybe, just maybe, she was unique; maybe her mutation wouldn't come back like it had for others, that just maybe she could go on living the rest of her life with the ability to touch people; The unconscious Bobby had ruined the little bit of hope.

The touch had only been a quick one, so Bobby was due to get up at any minute. It was lucky, really, that Rogue got so scared of her powers returning; otherwise he might have been out for much longer. Rogue sat on her floral bed, stroking Bobby Drake's forehead through thick black gloves, wondering whether or not she should have gotten someone.

Everybody else had cool mutations. Bobby could generate ice, Ororo could control the weather, Kitty could walk through walls, and there she was, the girl who couldn't touch anyone. Feeling bitter was an understatement, especially when she had taken the cure, when she was the untouchable and Bobby had found comfort in perfect little Katherine Pryde. Who could blame him? Unlike her, she was touchable. Rogue couldn't help but clench her fists as the image of Bobby holding Kitty in one of the danger room sessions flashed through her mind. She wasn't sure if it was one of Bobby's memories or hers, either way, she was now watching Kitty and Bobby in her mind's eye as they both went through the rock together, holding hands.

Rogue was brought out of her unwanted thoughts by Bobby who was just now beginning to stir.

"What... What happened?" He asked in a daze.

Rogue couldn't bring herself to look directly in his eyes. The fact that her mutant ability was back didn't only affect her, but also Bobby. They could no longer touch; she was terrified that he would go elsewhere for the affection that she knew she couldn't give him

"I'm so sorry, Bobby." Rogue whispered, still stroking his forehead through her gloves. As soon as Bobby felt the cold leather on his face, he knew what had happened and wished he hadn't asked. Rogue had always been sensitive about her mutation, at the fact she couldn't touch people. The last few weeks had been a nightmare, the not knowing when it would come back. They had both been counting down, but neither of them knew how long they had; they just knew they didn't have long.

"Hey, it's ok." Bobby shuffled himself out of Rogue's arms to kneel down on the floor. He wanted to reach out and wipe the tears from her cheek, but knew he couldn't. There was no use trying to calm Rogue down, no use at all. Bobby figured she just needed a bit of time to come to terms with what was happening.

Slowly and steadily, Bobby lifted himself off the bed. He gave Rogue a small smile before moving towards the door.

"I'm going to give you some time." He left, leaving Rogue alone with unbelievable amounts of insecurity.

There was nothing anyone could do to help her now. Before the professor had died, or rather before the professor had been murdered by one of their own, he had been working on control with her. A part of Rogue resented Jean for that, for taking him away before she had mastered it, but it wasn't exactly her fault; it had been the Phoenix and because of that uncontrollable power force, a lot of people were grieving.

Logan was back to his old ways, never staying long enough. Sometimes he would stay for weeks at a time, but when she least expected it he would up and go; other times he would get back and leave the next day. It was a shame, really, Logan was the only person Rogue could really connect with, they were the same; running from something, but neither knew what. Maybe it was Logan's obsession with answers that kept him running, even though he had some, he still didn't believe he had been told the full story and he resented himself for killing William Stryker, the only person who really knew what had happened to him.

Storm wasn't her old self; even though she tried to be strong, Rogue could hear her crying sometimes at the loss of Scott, Jean, and Xavier.

Xavier's school for the gifted. It wasn't Xavier's school anymore, but they agreed to keep the name the same, despite the fact that _nothing_ was the same there anymore.

Rogue got up from her bed to stand in front of the golden mirror. Her long, dark brown hair had a single white steak in the front from where Magneto had kidnapped her and nearly killed the young girl. Her eyes were red from crying and her red thin lips were quivering. Rogue often wondered whether he was right in his ways, she wondered if mutants and humans could ever live at peace with each other. Professor Xavier thought so, but Magneto never did. She often wondered: if she hadn't met Logan, where would she be? Would she still be here, or home, or dead? It was an easy life with the brotherhood, they lived off the assumption that they could take from life what they wanted, no questions asked, but that was an easy life, not necessarily a good one. At least in the institute, everyone had a clear conscious.

Nothing was the same anymore, nothing. Nothing had been the same after Alkaline Lake but everything with the cure and Phoenix had just made everything worse. Rogue took a deep breath, deciding that she has best tell Storm that her mutation had come back. The door creaked as Rogue opened it, but she didn't pay any attention; she was too used to all the creaking to let it bother her.

Walking down the grand, two-part stairs, Rogue stopped to look at a picture in the golden frame; it was of everyone in the institute, taken a year after she first arrived. They had lost so many after that photograph it was hard to believe it was only two years old.

Finally, Rogue found herself standing outside Ororo Munroe's office. She knocked twice, waiting for an answer from the other side

"Come in." The voice was husky and low. Storm was originally from Africa, the tale of how she ended up at the institute had never been told, unlike Rogue's. Everybody knew about Rogue's deadly kiss with her ex-boyfriend David. Everybody knew she had put him in a coma.

"What can I do for you Marie?" Storm asked from behind her wooden desk.

"I just... My... well, it's come back." Rogue stuttered; having to say it made it feel more real for it and she hated it.

Storm knew instantly what Rogue was talking about; it was the day they had waited so long for, the dreaded day.

"Okay, calm down and tell me exactly what happened." Storm instructed.

"I was in my room and Bobby and I were just talking...and he put his hand on mine. The next thing I know, he was lying on my bed unconscious and all his memories were running around in my head. I just want it to go, Storm; I just want to be normal." Rogue's tone was defeated. She had given up.

"My dear child, none of us are normal, not even those without gifts." Storm preached, it was just like her really. She though all mutation was a gift. She had a valuable mutation, one of the good ones. She didn't know what it was like, being unable to touch.

"I just want to be able to touch." Rogue whispered. Storm looked at her sympathetically.

"Once you're able to control your mutation, you'll see what I mean by gift."

"How am I ever going to learn to control it now that the professor's gone?" Rogue asked hotly, then instant wished that she hadn't.

"The professor was a great telepath, but he isn't the only with those powers. He only helped, you can do this by yourself, Rogue, but if you absolutely need help then I know another telepath, but I prefer you work this on your own, child. I know you're capable of it alone."

"So I'm on my own?" Rogue asked quietly, downtrodden.

"Of course not, you have a family; you have me, Bobby, Logan, all of us." Storm smiled.

"Yeah," Rogue mumbled, unsure. She got up from her chair and started heading for the door, but before she could exit, Storm had one more thing.

"Ah, Marie!" Storm called her to pause. "Now that you're gifts are back, you could be a real asset to the team and I just wanted to let you know that--whenever you're ready, the danger room is always open for you."

Rogue nodded, she knew the score. Yeah, she was a real asset; she could suck the life out of anyone and posses their power, and Storm saw value in that. Rogue didn't think the same way, she knew she couldn't control her 'gift', she couldn't control how much she took.

The halls were filled with echoes of laughter and people running around. There was a strict rule of no running inside the mansion, but as long as none of the oldies were about it was fine. Rogue didn't even have time to see who was around the corner because they ran straight into her. Falling to the floor, Rogue had the weird feeling that someone had just fallen through her.

"Oh, sorry Rogue didn't see you there." Kitty babbled with her head popping out of the wooden floor, the rest of her body was nowhere to be seen.

Rogue only managed to mumble a few things under her breath while rubbing the bump on her head. Why couldn't Kitty do her thing before they bumped into each other?

"How are you?" Kitty asked cautiously. "I haven't seen you in a while." She was now standing in front of Rogue, her whole body visible.

"Yeah, I'm fine, great even." Rogue bit off bitterly.

"I saw Bobby earlier. He looked a bit down." Kitty paused, then went on to ask what she really wanted to know. "Is there something up with the two of you? 'Cause if there was, you know you could talk to me, right? I mean, Bobby knows, but I don't think he wanted to talk. I was calling him and everything, but he just ignored me." Kitty continued to babble on obliviously.

"Maybe 'cause it's none of your business." With that said, Rogue disappeared, completely out of Kitty's sight. Kitty wondered how Rogue had moved so quickly, but she shrugged it off and sighed. Rogue could have such an attitude problem sometimes, she just didn't understand what was up with that girl. No wonder Bobby was walking around like a lost puppy.

Rouge appeared in the mansion garden surrounded by a puff of smoke, the last thing she knew she was ready to pounce on Kitty then she suddenly appeared here, how she had no idea.

"Okay, that was weird." She said to herself, admiring the scenery.

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_[A/N: This is my first X-men fic, so please go easy. Just a few things I should explain to you. It is a minor cross over with X-men evolution, you'll see what I mean by minor. Rogue and Gambit already know each other. Thank you all for reading, let me know what you think.]_


	2. Trusting the enemy

_A/N: _Thank you all for the amazing response, I really do appreciate it. Again I would like to thank my beta, Ice, who turned a document full of grammatical mistakes into this. And without further ado, I give you Remy LeBeau.. wid de acsent.

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Chapter 2

"Nothin' like a good suicide mission t' start de day off right. Maybe after we stop de cullings, we can liberate de pits and overthrow the big "A" altogether? 'Course, dat don't leave much for de afternoon but..."

_Gambit - Astonishing X-Men #1_

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Remy LeBeau was a hard working thief, so hard working that there wasn't anything that he was unable to steal, anyone he wasn't able to best, besides a few choice battles with the X-Men. They had proved to be quite a challenge for the Cajun thief, but he didn't want to kill them. He didn't really want to kill anyone, really, but he didn't have much choice in the matter. If an order for an assassination came then he would handle it. It was either him or one of the others; him, Sabertooth, or Pyro---definitely not Mystiques brotherhood, they were incapable of such a task.

Remy, or Gambit as he was commonly known in Westchester, after he had moved there about three years ago. Since then he's had the most exiting life possible, well, if you count being involved in the dirty work exciting. Even after Magneto got injected with the Cure, Gambit still remained loyal to him and now that his gifts had come back, he was ready to break out of the little home he was in now, with a little of assistance from his friends.

Gambit smiled to himself as he opened the front door to Mystique's house, only he wasn't going to see the shape-shifter, he was going to see her loyal followers. The floor was covered in empty pizza boxes and dirty clothes, the walls were stained with God-knew-what, and the smell of the place was unbearable.

"Magneto requires y' services." Gambit leaned against the door frame casually. Sitting on the grubby sofa was Lance, Blob, Toad, Pietro and Wanda.

"What's the job?" Lance asked, not even bothering to turn around.

"Jus' retrievin' a small crystal from Xavier's institute."

Everyone jumped up from the sofa to protest except Wanda and Pietro, who sat quietly, waiting for the rest of the brotherhood to quite down.

"Nah ah, I ain't going near the place, yah hear me?" Toad objected quickly, extending his long tongue out rudely.

"Relax, y' won't have t' go anywhere, I'll be gettin' it myself, I'll jus' need y' dere t' make sure dere's no trouble."

"And that's it?" Blob's deep voice questioned uneasily.

"Dat's it." The Cajun confirmed, keeping the smile on his face.

The house was silent as the boys thought about it; Lance even thought about bargaining, but he quickly came to his senses when he realized who he was dealing with. They all nodded to each other before Lance spoke up for them.

"Alright, we're in."

"Wanda? Pietro?" Gambit prodded.

"Anything that involves Magneto, I'm out." Wanda replied coldly without taking her eyes off the TV. Beside her, Pietro was still thinking.

"Look's like you got all the help you need." He finally conceded, nodding towards the rest of the group.

Gambit said nothing, only looked at the teenager. He was used to being in charge and now he was bitter that someone was ordering him around. Gambit was good at reading people, he had to be, otherwise he wouldn't be where he was. Trusting the wrong people in his line of work could mean instant death.

"Alright, dat's up t' y', but y' father would have been grateful." Gambit eyed Pietro up carefully, noticing the quick flick of his eyes. All of his life, Pietro had tried to please his father, but it seemed more like Pyro was his son, not his own blood. "The rest o' y', dis is goin' on tonight, so be outside de mansion den, chances are dis masterful t'ief's already gunna be inside, so jus' wait there, okay?"

Lance, Toad, and Blob nodded and watched as Gambit swiftly left. Lance had promised Kitty that he wouldn't get into more trouble, but lately she had been spending less time with him and more time with that ice freak, Bobby. He felt he was entitled to some mischief, if just for that fact alone.

"You're all idiots." Wanda scoffed, her brow quirked into a perfect arch of scepticism. "Magneto says jump and you ask how high. I thought you were done with taking orders?"

"We are not taking orders; we're helping a friend out." Lance corrected.

"Gambit's not a friend." Wanda muttered quietly.

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_Never _had things been more complicated than they were presently. The world was afraid of mutants and what they could do so groups had joined to terrorise the gifted. Gambit narrowed his red on black eyes to the TV screen, where a group of anti-mutant protesters had a green skinned mutant backed in a corner while the news man did nothing to stop it. A part of him couldn't help but blame Magneto for this; they had all told him not to go through with his plan, even Shaw said that they should wait and plan it out more. When Magneto finally got out of his prison, he was going to be in big trouble and Gambit was the one who was supposed to deliver him. Deliver him to people who were potentially more powerful than even the Phoenix.

"What's going on down at the mansion tonight, then? I've been hearing a bit of hush, hush stuff." Pyro asked from behind Gambit.

Gambit turned to look at Pyro, and speculated on the mutant. He had the power to manipulate fire, but not create it; what use was that?

"I don' want y' screwin' dings up, so y' don' get t' know." Gambit tossed off. He flicked the TV off, picked up his deck of cards, and swung his long coat over his shoulders.

"Fine," Pyro retorted angrily, "but you just remember this 'cause when I get a job, I'll be saying the exact same thing to you." Gambit was already at the door, but he glanced back at the angry teen.

"Dat's fine wit' me, Johnny."

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In the light of the moon the mansion looked unbelievably beautiful, with the water fountain in the middle of the courtyard all lit up and glistening in the light. Most of the lights were off, but that didn't mean everyone was asleep. Gambit knew that his biggest threat was away so there was no need to worry about getting shredded to bits. The rest of the X-Men wouldn't do more than insignificant damage to him.

The large metal gates before him were shut, but there was no way that Remy LeBeau, master thief and skilled escapist, was going to squeeze his way in that way. Too obvious of an approach, and he had done it too many times before. It would be too easy. No, there were other convenient ways to get in to be found.

Gambit glanced up around the walls that he had breached so many times before for a different way in. He cursed the fact that every time he had to do the same thing, simply jump over the wall. Yes, it really was that simple...well, until you hit the ground. Then he had to avoid security and avoid detection from the numerous 'safety measures' that had been taken around the mansion. Taking a deep breath, Remy jumped onto the wall, while being careful not to fall to the other side. He stealthily scrambled onto the wall and over to the building. Once there, he reached onto a window ledge and clung on. In one swift movement, he rolled down and over and kicked the window open so he could easily slide in. Glass smashed as Gambit shuffled into the small space.

"_Merde, _dat was loud_._" He growled lowly, he had to be more careful to not be heard. Slyly, Gambit moved from room to room until he reached the most secluded one. Slowly, he entered the dark room, being careful not to make any of the floor boards squeak. It was so dark that he could hardly see anything, even with his enhanced vision, but that didn't stop him from checking around, just to be sure. Just as he was about to leave, he heard a squeak from the door so he quickly ran behind the door to hide.

"Hello?" A female voice called out.

There was no reply.

"Hello? Ah know someone's here, so ya might as well come out before Ah call someone."

"Bonjour, chère" Gambit stepped out from the shadows, smiling at the woman before him.

"Don't call meh that." The girl glared at him darkly. "It's not mah name"

"Neither is Rouge, but y' don't object t' dat." Gambit stated cockily. He could see the girl as clear as day, see that cute, annoyed look on her face, the white strand in her brown locks, and her beautiful emerald globes that could light up the valley of the shadow of death.

"Don't get smart with meh Gambit, what are ya doin' here anyway?"

"Can't a guy drop by t' see a girl?"

"Not when that guy is you." Rouge answered bitterly, but she was also very confused: She knew how smooth Gambit was, if he didn't want to wake anyone, nobody would wake. Since she was awake, he must have wanted it that way.

"Well, the t'ing is, I be lookin' for somethin' an' I can' find dat somet'ing alone, so if y' help, I'd be very _reconnaissant._" /thankful\

"And why exactly would Ah help ya steal somethin' from the mansion?"

"Well _chère_, y' don' really have a choice in de matter." Gambit pulled a card out from his pocket and charged it up. "Y' help me and I'll help you. Y' powerless Rouge, why do y' dink I chose y' t' help? I could blow de mansion right now an' y' can't do a ding t' stop it."

"Ya wrong on both accounts." Rogue pulled her left glove off while Gambit watched with his arms folded.

"So, y' not as powerless as I t'ought, but Rogue, do y' really want new memories runnin' drough y' head? I done some terrible things; 'M tinkin' some terrible things righ' now." Remy winked at her, then went serious again. "An' chère 'm tellin' y' now, y' don't want t' know dese t'ings."

Rogue sighed. She could only guess what kind of things Gambit was talking about. No, she definitely didn't want his memories in her mind. "It's not about what Ah want."

Remy grinned. "Don' say I didn't warn yah." With one quick move, before she could even think about what he was doing, Remy bent low and kicked out at the back of her legs. Rogue's knees gave way and she started collapsing to the floor, but before she could hit the ground, Remy caught her smoothly in his hands by her shoulders. With one arm across her chest, he secured both of her arms down so that she couldn't move to touch him, even if she wanted to.

Remy picked up her glove that had fallen to the floor and it began to glow a familiar magenta pink color, dangling right in front of her face. Rogue inched back as far as she could into Remy's chest, but Remy followed her. "Dis is how it's gunna be, _chere, _y' help me an' I'll even give y' a reward. If not, I jus' let dis blow. _Oui?"_

Rogue squirmed. "Remy—"

Remy ignored her protests. "Now, I'm 'bout t' let y' up. Y' gunna pull dis glove on an' lead me t' de crystal, _heh_? If y' try t' struggle o' get away, I'm jus' gunna have t' pull y' down an' against me."

Rogue glared at him darkly, but stopped struggling. "What are yah looking for?" Rogue asked haply. Remy released one arm and Rogue unwillingly—with assistance from Remy—pulled the glove back onto her slender hand. When her skin was safely tucked away, Remy got to his feet and let go of her. Rogue about turned to face him with a scowl.

"It's a white crystal dat Xavier's hidin' in his safe."

"How are ya so sure that Ah'll help ya find this crystal?" Rogue challenged, resolutely stubborn.

Gambit eyed Rogue up carefully, studying her body language. She had her arms folded across her chest and was leaning more on her right foot, she didn't want to help him, he was sure of that, but there was something about the deep stare in her eyes telling him that she did. Usually, Gambit was a master at reading people, but this _fille_ was impossible to read.

"_Cherie_, I'm gunna know if y' leadin' me int' a trap an' I tought we already went over dis." Remy held up a card and it started glowing soft pink. "Do y' really want t' touch me dat bad?" He grinned at her. "'Sides, if y' help me, I'll help y'."

Rogue looked disgusted. "Ah'll scream." She threatened; she would never betray the X-men.

Gambit knew it was time to offer her something that she couldn't refuse, that anyone in her position couldn't refuse. He didn't plan on it originally, but if it meant she would help him find the crystal, then anything went.

"Y' won' scream, _fille. _Don' make me hurt dat pretty face o' y's. 'Sides—I know someone who can help y' control y' powers." Gambit smiled slyly and, judging by the look on Rogue's face, he knew he had said the right thing.

"Professor Xavier couldn't even help meh," Rogue looked angry. "So what makes ya think that you cahn?" In an instant, Rogue's face went from beyond shining to looking like she had been slapped across the face. Gambit felt sorry for her, it must have been terrible to not have any hope, to think that she would go the rest of her life without being able to touch a single person, but that wasn't true. He wasn't lying to her, if that's what she thought, he really did know someone that could help.

"Xavier could have helped y', but he didn't want to. He believes dat his students have t' do it demselves, but Rogue, I promise y' dat if y' help find dis crystal an' don' make trouble, den I'll get y' de help dat Xavier refused to give y'." Remy was going to an awful amount of trouble for a crystal that he didn't know the first thing about, he only knew the words of The White Queen, _do what you must to get it _and that was enough.

"You're serious aren't ya?" Rogue asked, scared that the villain might say no.

"Y' have my word." Remy vowed.

"A word of a thief." Rogue laughed dryly, but Remy didn't take it as an insult. She was right, why would she trust the word of a thief? Especially one from her opposing team?

"No, y' have de word of Remy LeBeau." Remy promised. He gave her an ultimatum. "It's eit'er y' help me out, o' I'm gunna knock y' out an' use y' as a hostage. At least dis way y' get somet'ing outa it, _heh?_"

Rogue put her hands on her hips, nothing Gambit could say would make her trust him, but his threat was honest, she knew that much. And he was offering her everything that she'd ever wanted, even if he was lying, she could take that chance, it wasn't as if she'd be able to knock him out, either. Remy could have her down and out flat and then go get the crystal himself, though taking slightly longer to do so. She might as well get something out of it.

"Ah don't want ta know what this crystal does or who's getting it." Rogue told him firmly.

Gambit smiled, he loved it when a stubborn woman surrendered to him, especially someone as stubborn as Rogue. Before he could say anything witty or flirty, Rogue was already out of the room.

"Hey, wait!" He called, running to catch up with her.

They walked in silence down the hallways until they came to a door which had a small computer pad on the wall next to it. Rogue pressed the button that read 'open', but on the pad's screen it said 'locked.'

"It's locked." Rogue sighed. Gambit merely smiled at her before putting his large hand around the pad and charged it up. He stepped back and pulled Rogue with him just before it exploded.

"_Pas plus._" /not anymore\

"If ya had waited Ah could have unlocked it, but no, ya just blew the thing up." Rogue shook her head, she pushed the unlocked door open. Inside, everything was made out of metal, even the floor. The room was full of safes and the same computer pads as was on the door "Hold on now, we don't want to go blowing everything up."

The first safe opened as soon as Rogue typed the digits in, she rummaged around it, but found no crystal, so she locked it up and did the same to the next one.

"I'm bored now, dis would be so much easier if y' would jus' let 'im blow dem up."

Rogue purposely ignored the Cajun and carried on opening the safes. Yeah, it was easy for him, he wasn't being disloyal to the people that took him in, but what could she do? Say no at the chance of happiness? There was no way.

"_Si vous ne vous dépêchez pas alors je vais créer des choses soufflantes._" /If you don't hurry up then I'm going to start blowing things up_\. _Gambit muttered darkly with his back against the metal wall.

"I suggest ya stop mumblin' Swamp Rat, because Ah think Ah jus' found what ya lookin'fohr." Rogue held a large aquamarine crystal in both hands. The light from the room was bouncing off its many corners, making it sparkle like a fallen star.

Remy LeBeau couldn't believe his eyes; he had stolen many jewels, many flawless diamonds, but none as beautiful as this aquamarine gemstone; he was tempted to keep it for himself, but then he recalled who it was for and he shook the idea from himself.

"Is this it?"

Gambit only nodded. This was the first time something had left him speechless, but it was more to do with the fact that he couldn't have it, that he would have to hand it over.

"If Ah give this ta ya then you'll help meh." Rogue paused. "Right?"

"I tol' y' _chère_; I'll show y' t' someone dat can help."

Rogue nodded, but Remy noticed the furtive glance in her eye. She was unsure, what if the crystal was some nuclear bomb or something, there had to be a reason why Xavier had it in the safe. She was going to make a dash for it, he could tell. Before she could take even a few steps towards the door, Remy stepped forward and grabbed her around the middle. Rogue squeaked, but Remy extracted the crystal from her hands easily and squeezed her.

"Gambit!" Rogue protested, trying to fight him off.

Remy smiled. "Dat wasn't in de deal, _cherè._" Ignoring her struggles, Gambit dropped her down and pushed her to the floor.

"_Mercy,_ Rogue, I'll contact y'." Gambit winked and, with that, he was gone, leaving Rogue alone.

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_[A/N: First off I want to say__ I do not speak French therefore I completely rely on the internet to translate things for me and what you see above is what I got so I apologise if it's incorrect. Thank you for all your reviews, I love reading them.]_


	3. Does the pain weigh out the pride

_A:N:_Thanks for the revises, they make me happy and want to write. This would have been up sooner but my puppy died, and I only had him four days. Parvo virus and it's just been so stressful because he obviously had it before we got him and the breeder won't return our calls, arghhh! As for how Gambit knows Rogue, well for the sake of the story, let's just say he was in the movies. Anyhooo, keep reviewing, and on with the story.

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Chapter 3

"Some might say ah was crazy ta walk right into the lion's den. But then again...when did ah ever listen to anybody?"

_Rogue – Rogue #3_

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The next morning held a lot of truths for some in the Xavier Mansion, but only posed more questions for others. Storm was standing outside the room that had been broken into last night, completely puzzled. The only thing missing was a crystal that Xavier had picked up from his travels; she remembered the day he had come home with the thing, from the instant she saw it she had fallen in love with it. How could you not? It was such a beautiful jewel, but it was also completely useless.

Rogue awoke feeling confused, she'd just had a very interesting dream, but it wasn't entirely clear to her. Just as she threw the bed covers off and wrapped her fluffy dressing gown tightly around her, the door burst open.

"Hey baby, have you heard? The mansion was broken into last night. No alarms went off or anything and the cameras are all blacked out." Bobby rushed over to his long-term girlfriend. He was about to give her a kiss, but quickly stepped back as he remember that her powers had come back.

Rogue's face went pale, her bottom lip quivered slightly. It hadn't been a dream.

"What they take?" She asked cautiously, praying that it wasn't what she thought.

"Just a jewel or something—which is weird, if you think about it. Of all the stuff here, they take a single jewel?"

"Ah don'...ah don' know." Rogue's chest welled with guilt. She had betrayed her family, the only people that took her in her time of need because she'd been threatened prematurely by an annoying Cajun. And...Rogue's heart was heavy as she dwelled on it, if she was being honest with herself, Remy's promise of helping her had also been a factor. Rogue wanted to cry. After years of wanting to be able to touch people, she was now starting to think that none of it mattered. Not if she hurt those around her in the process. Rogue swallowed deeply, trying to control her guilt.

"Well it's just lucky that nothing serious was stolen." Bobby turned around and headed for the door. Rogue stood, hugging herself tightly. She just wanted to go back to bed and forget any of this had ever happened. "You coming down for breakfast?" Bobby called back to her questioningly.

"Yeah, Ah'll be down soon." Rogue mumbled an automatic response.

"You don't want me to wait for you?" There was something in Bobby's voice that Rogue couldn't identify entirely. She hugged herself tighter.

"No, you cahn go down." Rogue gave Bobby a sweet, strained smile; he smiled back genuinely at her then left, once again leaving Rogue alone in a time of need.

* * *

Gambit stopped his car outside the mansion; the gates were sealed tight, just as they had been the night before. In the passenger seat next to him, he had the crystal hidden by a blanket. He had promised the young Rogue something and he was going to deliver, or at least try to, but first, he had to find away into the mansion, and not a thief's way.

His first idea was to blow up the gate, but that was hardly discreet and he was sure that the Mansion's built in security system would respond by putting holes through his body. No, this time, his only way in was to ring the buzzer and hope for the best. Well, at least it wasn't like he had killed any of the X-men; he'd tried, maybe, but that's what happened in war.

"_Vraiment, parce qu'ils vont me le faire entrer enfin." /_Yeah, because they are going to let me in after all that_.\_ Gambit mumbled to himself. Just as he was about to press the door bell, he heard the loud roar of a motorbike. Only seconds after he heard the noise, he saw the bike itself skidding up through the gateway.

Logan's intimidating adamantium claws were already extended by the time he jumped off the bike. Gambit knew that if one of the X-men were going to kill him, it definitely would be Wolverine. He slowly backed away while Wolverine's shoulders flexed with each step until Gambit's back was against the iron gate and Wolverine's three claws were hovering at his throat.

"_Bonjour,_ Wolverine." Gambit chuckled nervously. He never did like being cornered.

"Don't get all pally with me, Bub. I want to know what you're doing here and why before I cut you into three." The claws pressed against Gambit's neck threateningly.

"Well, if y' jus' loosen up y' grip..." Gambit paused, hoping for Logan to back away some, but the shorter man didn't move a muscle and his eyes narrowed at Remy. "Well, ahh, de ting is, I'm... I'm here t' pick Rogue up." Gambit thought that he could at least try to get Logan to back up, but all his explanation seemed to do was make him angrier.

Wolverine pulled his fist back and, at the last second, pulled in his claws to punch the Cajun thief in the jaw. Remy's head slammed to the side and hit the wall behind him; blood oozed from the slit in the corner of his mouth. Damn, the man could punch!

Gambit knew he couldn't win this fight, especially if he wanted to help Rogue out. Normally no woman was worth getting shredded for, but she had helped him out and he wouldn't go back on their agreement. Quickly, Remy took his staff out of the inside trench coat pocket and in one swift movement, he used it to jump over the gate and run for dear life, only Wolverine wasn't too bothered about making a good impression.

Wolverine howled in fury before he extended his claws and shredded the iron gate into pieces. He took off after Remy LeBeau, who was now half-way up the courtyard and not finding any safe places to hide.

* * *

Back in the mansion, Hank was doing some grading in his room while looking out at the beautiful garden; it was lucky he was because there were some interesting things to be seen. An unknown someone was being chased by Logan, who had set all the alarms off and now the built-in security system was firing beams everywhere. The first thing to get broken was the angel statue next to the flower beds; that was the final straw for the fuzzy blue mutant. He stood up from his chair, not even bothering to finish marking the student's work to go and see to the problem.

* * *

Outside, a small crowd had already gathered by the time Dr. Hank McCoy had gotten through the front doors and, by the looks of things, the situation had definitely escalated.

The unknown person could now be identified as Gambit, and he was in a very dangerous position.

"You leave Rogue alone!" Logan roared, his claws inches away from Gambit's neck.

"Logan!" Hank shouted, but it was no use, it was as if he was in a world of his own, completely oblivious to the cheers around him. Knowing there was no use, Beast turned to Bobby Drake. "Bobby, go get Storm, tell her it's an emergency." It was a wonder that Storm hadn't arrived already, what with all the alarms and commotion, but if she was in the danger room like Hank thought she was, then there was no way she could have heard anything outside of the room's walls.

Hank used his acrobatic skills to jump over the crowd of students and try to help the enemy mutant out.

"Logan, stop this insanity!"

"Get lost, fuzz ball." Wolverine snapped, not even pausing at Hank.

Suddenly, Logan and Gambit were separated by a great gust of wind. Gambit glanced up at the sky and saw that Storm was hovering above him, her eyes as white as clean, fresh snow.

"_Mercy._" Gambit smiled, but he only received a glare in return. If Remy had known he would be this unwelcome, he might not have come after all. They were giving him quite a welcoming committee.

"What is the meaning of this?" Storm demanded, letting her white eyes return to their normal hazel color whilst floating gently down to the floor.

The crowd had at least tripled since Hank had come out to see too the problem. Every mutant eye was trained on the Cajun.

"Ask Gumbo." Logan growled angrily, finally noticing the crowd of spectators around him.

"Well?" Storm pushed, advancing on Gambit. She had her arms folded sternly across her chest a wicked look in her eye. Gambit knew that the protection of her students always came first and that she would do anything to keep them out of harm's way, but he hadn't come to harm any of them.

"Well," Gambit chuckled nervously before continuing "As I was tellin' de Wolverine here before he attacked, I'm here t' see Rogue."

Rogue could feel her fellow students gaze burning in her, especially Bobby, who was right by her side. Even though she was looking on the floor, she knew that Bobby wasn't that he wanted to know more.

"Is this true Marie?" Storm asked with a raised eyebrow. She found it odd why an X-man would want to associate with the notorious thief.

Rogue stood still, not knowing what to say. She couldn't deny it, after all Gambit was supposed to be helping her, but she didn't think that he would come the very next day. He could at least given her time to sort out her cover story.

"Kid?" Logan stood with his arms crossed, waiting for Rogue's answer. If she said no, then he was ready to strike the Cajun out with everything he had.

"Actually…" Rogue trailed off.

Most of the students were shocked; how could Rogue socialize with a known enemy? She put the whole school in danger simply by having him here. Storm put her hand up to silence the loud whispers and give Rogue a chance to continue.

"Well, t-that p-project ya gave us Miss Munroe, t-the one about how power cahn control ya, well…ah asked Gambit ta help meh out, since he knows more about it then ah do." Rogue stuttered, but by the look on Storm's face, she knew she had said the right thing. Logan's face was thunderous and it was obvious that he didn't believe a thing she had said.

"Marie, if you just said so, then all of this could have been avoided."

"Ah know, an' ah'm sorry…ah should have told ya'll, but ah jus' forgot with mah powers comin' back and all." Rogue couldn't believe Storm was buying her story.

"Right, everyone back in now, show's over, nothing to see." Hank waved his arms for everyone to get back inside which and everyone gradually left. Only Remy, Logan, Rogue and Bobby remained. Logan was still gazing at Remy with murderous eyes, and Rogue was about to go over and make sure that Logan didn't kill the only hope she had when Bobby tugged on her arm.

"Rogue, what are you doing?" He asked quietly, shooting a dark look at Gambit.

"Ah tol' ya, Gambit's helpin' meh out on a project." Rogue was stressed enough without having to worry about Bobby's reaction too.

"He can help you here, at the mansion." Bobby shot Gambit another suspicious look.

"What's ya problem, Bobby?" Rogue was getting agitated now.

"He's my problem." Bobby hissed in a quite tone, glancing over at Gambit, who was smiling dumbly at the tamed Logan. "I don't trust the guy, he's with Magneto! For god's sake, the man kidnapped you and tried to kill you! Rogue, are you even listening to me?" Bobby questioned harshly, grabbing her by the shoulders "Do you know what you're doing?"

"Bobby, ah'll be fahne, ah cahn look after mahself." Rogue reassured him.

"I know you can," Bobby sighed deeply, "but I worry about you, Rogue."

"Ya shouldn't worry when ya girlfriend cahn suck the life outa anyone." Rogue chuckled, making Bobby smile.

"I'll see you later, then?"

"You bet."

Rogue gave Bobby a quick kiss and went over to Gambit, who was talking with Logan in a quite tone. She wondered what they had to talk about.

"You touch her, Cajun, and she'll be the last person you ever touch, you got that?" Logan warned. "And don't think I won't know, I always know."

Remy smiled at the man in front of him, when his claws were away, he really wasn't that scary anymore.

"How can I touch the untouchable" Remy half smiled.

Logan didn't like the Cajun one bit, and he trusted him far less than he could pitch the man.

"You sure you going to be alright, Kid?" Logan asked her in concern, eyeing Remy again.

"Ah'll be fine, Logan. You an' Bobby need ta stop worryin' so much." Rogue smiled reassuringly. She knew he meant well, he always did. When she had left to take the Cure, he told her that he wasn't her father, he was her friend, but to her, he was the closest thing to a father she would ever have. "You ready to go?" Rogue asked Remy.

"_Oui._" He nodded.

They both walked towards Remy's car. Logan didn't take his eyes off them, he knew Rogue could make up her own mind about things, but he wished she wasn't so trusting. She had come a long way from when he had first met her; back then she just jumped into his truck. He could have been anyone, a serial killer, even, but he guessed she had just been desperate to get away. She was the closest thing he had to a family, she was like a little sister to him, a daughter even. He could never stand back and watch something happen to her and he wasn't going to now. He'd find out what that Cajun was up to and if it even put Rogue in danger, then the runt was going to suffer.

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_Go on, press the blue button, you know you want to ;)_

X


	4. Another promise, another scene

_A/N:_Thank you again for the reviews, lovee them, keep them coming.

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Chapter 4

"Look at dis here. I be the thief, chere...and there you go off stealin' my heart."

Gambit, _Rogue Ltd. Series #2_

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* * *

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The drive to wherever they were going was a mostly silent one. Remy tried to make conversation occasionally, but the young girl in the seat next to him just wasn't very talkative. He guessed that she was simply anxious. When she finally spoke to him, it came as a surprise.

"Gambit?" Rogue's voice was meek and small.

"Call me Remy." He smiled at her, trying to be friendly to the coy girl.

"Remy?" Rogue asked again, still sounding undersized.

"_Oui, chère?_"

"Will this work?"

"_Je honnêtement,_ don' know" Remy answered truthfully. /I honestly\

"Ah don' think it will either." Rogue's tone was full of regret and strained spite.

Remy gave her a sideways glance; he could see Rogue's emerald eyes glistening with unshed tears. His heart went out for the young girl.

"Y' jus' got t' 'ave faith, _petit. Don' get down on y'self._"

"Yeah." She mumbled, unconvinced. Her faith had left her the first time her powers had manifested, the moment she put David in that coma. The implications of her touch had been blatantly apparent to her, even then. Then the Cure had come and Rogue had hoped in it so very much, but it too, was a failure.

Silence filled the car yet again until they arrived to their destination. As Remy parked the car, Rogue realized that this was the place. Her eyes widened in amazement; she never thought she'd see a place bigger then Xavier's institute, but this place was definitely much bigger.

"This is it?" Rogue gasped in amazement, awed by the gigantic building.

Remy grinned at her expression. "_Oui, dis is it._"

"It's huge!" Rogue continued to stare at the monstrosity, feeling quite small in its presence.

The mansion was as big as a castle. The land could have easily fit three football stadiums, not to mention a passive car park for each of them. The walls were painted red, which went perfectly with the black roof and black window panels. The front door was a massive double French door with beautiful swirls decorating the glass.

"Rogue, dere are a few t'ings I want t' go over, okay?" Remy's tone was serious. Rogue nodded accordingly, listening quietly. "First off, let me do all de talking—don' speak unless y' spoken t', an' even then, keep it as minimum as y' can. De women I'm taking y' to' is a telepath, so if y'can, try and keep y' mind closed t' her an' whatever you do, don' go wonderin' around. Stay close t' Remy, y' got it?"

Rogue noticed the worry in Remy's voice; it surprised her that he was actually concerned. She had known seeing these people Remy had spoken of might be dangerous. Remy's cautious tone and strict rules only reinforced that idea.

"Y' ready?" He asked, wrapping the crystal that she had helped him steal in a big blanket.

Rogue was nervous. "Ready as ah'll ever be."

They both left the car to walk up the massive courtyard, which was decorated with a small statue of a mermaid who had water shooting up from her mouth into a stone treasure box. Remy was about to knock on the imposing French doors when they opened of their own volition. A chill went down Rogue's spine; she wanted to turn around and leave, but this might be the only way she could have a fraction of a normal life.

Remy entered first and Rogue followed quickly after him. The inside of the house was just as grand as the outside. The staircase was like one that could be seen in fairytale, all windy and over-extended. The walls looked as if they were plated with gold and the floor was covered in expensive marble.

All around the room there were pictures, portraits of mutants using their powers. One was of a mutant who was wearing a black leather corset, black leather knee high boots, and a black leather cape. She had jet black hair and her skin was pale as death. Around her, objects were floating randomly. At the bottom right of the portrait, the name Selene was written neatly.

There were loads more portraits, but Rogue didn't have the time to get a proper look at them before Remy was at the foot of the stairs, already rushing up ahead of her.

"What is this place?" Rogue whispered, worried of being overheard. This seemed to be the type of place that would have plenty of cameras and the vast halls looked as if they'd echo grandly.

"Y' really don' want t' know." Remy replied easily, loping up the stairs two at a time.

"Is it really that bad?" Rogue asked cautiously, scurrying to keep up with him.

"Well, dat sort of depends on de way y' look at it." Remy replied thoughtfully. To him, it really wasn't that bad here, but to an X-man, he was certain she wouldn't approve.

"What way do yah look at it?" Rogue asked, catching Remy off guard. He definitely was not expecting a question like that. Remy continued walking, purposely ignoring Rogue and her question. The second floor had many rooms, all equally as big as one another. Another staircase could be seen leading to the third floor, but it spiraled off into an unseen abyss.

Remy stopped outside one room. "Well dis is it." Rogue took a deep breath to calm her nerves and Remy opened the door.

* * *

On the other side of the door, a stunning blonde woman sat on chair as if it were her own personal thrown. She was the most beautiful woman Rogue had ever seen. She had long blond hair that ran all the way past her shoulders and stunning blue eyes. Her skin was smooth and untouched, her lips were an immaculate shade of red, and her dazzling eyes sparkled; she really was perfection embodied. The woman had a white leather top that showed plenty of cleavage and ended at the bottom of the breast, the sleeves were extremely long and ended in a pair of long, delicate gloves. On her bottoms, she had plain white leather pants with white leather, knee high boots and even though it looked stunning on the woman, Rogue wouldn't be caught dead in the outfit.

"Remy LeBeau, well, if it isn't my favorite mercenary." The woman smiled graciously, revealing stark white teeth to go along with her other perfections.

"Emma Frost, _Le regard comme beau comme toujours._" _/Looking as beautiful as ever\_ Remy smiled back and kissed Emma's hand.

"_Toujours comme charmant comme toujours."_ _/__Still as charming as ever\_ Emma accepted, nodding.

"It's been too long." Remy chuckled, basking at Emma's obvious compliment. For as long as he could remember, they had flirted, but nothing had come out of their playful jibes. He had tried a number amount of times, but always got the same answer: "Have you changed you mind about mixing business with pleasure yet?"

"Remy LeBeau, you are a shameless flirt. Business is always pleasurable, but when you start sleeping with your employees that's when things start going wrong." Emma stated in her posh accent. Rogue wasn't at all surprised to the fact that Remy was attracted to Emma; the woman was beautiful enough to turn a straight girl gay.

"_Je suis seulement un coup de téléphone loin quand vous changez d'avis__."/ __I'm only a phone call away when you change your mind\ _Remy purred. Rogue wished she'd listened more in French lessons.

"I'll bear that in mind, should the occasion merit it."

"Y' don' know what y' missin', _chère_." Remy winked.

"Have you got what I asked for?" Emma asked, dismissing Remy's flirtations.

"Does Remy ever disappoint?"

"You're a man, your kind is predestined to always disappoint." Emma responded bluntly.

"Not dis one." And with that, Remy unwrapped the blanket and handed the crystal over to the beautiful telepath.

"Wonderful." Emma smiled, not even fazed by the crystal's beauty. "Now, who's the girl?"

"Dis is Rogue." Remy introduced, nodding at Rogue, who was still standing by the doorway afraid to come in. Emma gazed deep into Rogue's eyes as if she was reading her.

"She's an X-man! You brought an X-man here! Remy LeBeau! How could you be so stupid! I knew I should never have trusted a mere thief with something so big!" Emma hissed. "And you expected me to help her!"

"She helped me find de crystal an' I promised t' help her control her power, that was our deal. The X-men don' know anyt'ing about dis, dey t'ink Rogue's just doin' a project an' I'm helping her." Remy explained quickly, not wanting to piss Emma off more than he already had.

"Yes, your deal! I have nothing to do with it!"

Rogue frowned. She had gotten her answer. It didn't matter, she had expected the worst to keep her hopes from overriding her. Remy sighed, he felt bad for promising Rogue something that he couldn't deliver, but he had tried his best, there was nothing more he could do.

Just as the pair were about to leave the White Queen called them back.

"Wait." She called just as they were at the door.

Rogue came to a sudden halt, her heart thudding.

"You have the power to absorb memories, feelings, and mutations?" Emma asked, already knowing the answer and smiling thinly as her thoughts raced.

"Yeah." Rogue remembered what Remy had said about keeping her speaking to a minimum.

"Interesting." Emma paused. Remy didn't like this one bit. He knew Emma and the rest of the members of the Hellfire Club, and he knew that they wouldn't do anything unless it benefitted them. "You do know that I can't take your power away, don't you?"

"Yes, Ah know that." Rogue was painfully aware of the fact that nothing could take away her power. The failed Cure had proved that enough.

"But you just want them to go. Why would you want such an amazing gift gone? Do you know what you could do with that kind of power? You could be extremely powerful, Marie."

A small chill went through Rogue's body as Emma used her real name and at the mention of power. It never really occurred to Rogue that she could be extremely powerful, but she didn't care. She just wanted control.

"Then again, what's the point of having power that you can't control?" Emma continued, urging the girl on in her own manipulated way.

Remy still stood by the door with his arms folded across his chest, listening to Emma ramble on, he knew she had her own agenda for helping Rouge and he wanted to know what it was. Rogue listened to Emma, completely hypnotized. Everything she said was true, but Remy wasn't taken in by the telepath for one second. She was plotting something.

Emma was silent for a moment, sitting in her big white chair like royalty; she made a pretence of thinking hard for a moment before she announced her decision.

"I'll help you, Marie."

"Yah will?" Rogue beamed.

"Yes, but in return I want a favour."

That was what Remy was waiting for, the Emma Frost he knew. He listened carefully, wanting to know what she wanted from the southern X-Man.

"Anythin'." Rogue readily agreed; she was so desperate to have control that she really would do anything for it.

"I want you to promise me that, when the time comes when I need your help, I'll have it."

Remy shook his head, tempted to interfere, but he couldn't. He, too, owed a favour, but not to Emma, to someone much higher up in the power chain.

"Ah promise, Ah promise." Rogue agreed, hope shining from her whole appearance.

"Then we have a deal. You will come here every week for an hour and I will work on control with you, we will start next week. I'm very sorry for your loss: Charles was a brilliant telepath and an even more brilliant man, and Scott was an inspiration; as for that Jean, I never had the pleasure of meeting her, never wanted to, if I'm being honest. The professor had gone on about her extensively, but she only sparked my interest when she became her true potential, The Phoenix"

Rogue ignored Emma's obvious curiosity about The Phoenix; after all, it had killed the professor and Scott.

"You knew the Professor and Scott?"

"Charles and I were good friends, even though we had nothing in common." Emma explained, referring to the Hellfire Club and its less-than-peaceful activities. "As for Scott, well, we met in a very traumatising time..."

"_Emma, je crois que c'est assez._" _/Emma, I think that's enough.\_ Remy interfered, not wanting to re-live those memories that had brought them all together so long ago. To him, they were dead and buried times.

"_Souvenez-vous de votre endroit dans tout cela._" _/Remember your place in all this\._ Emma hissed at him, angry that he'd dare interrupt her in anything.

"_Désolé._" /sorry\ Remy mumbled.

"Marie, if you wouldn't mind waiting outside, Remy and I have a few things to discuss."

"No, not at all, Ah'll jus' be out here." Rogue smiled the most genuine smile that she'd given in years. She was finally going to be able to control her curse and maybe turn it into a gift. Bobby was going to be so happy, and she could finally wipe that smirk of Kitty's face. Ever since Rogue had taken the cure, they had used her only as a prop in the danger room. She had been the victim in all of the scenarios, it had been judged too risky to let her participate any other way. Well no more! She wasn't a defenceless girl anymore.

Once Rogue had left the room, Emma turned to talk freely with Remy.

"I need you to get me something else." She informed Remy, who sighed before nodding. There was no point telling her no; he couldn't, she owned him as far as he was concerned. "I need you to get me some books called The Books of Truth. I don't know where they are or even what they look like, but _he_ wants them and he will be very disappointed if he doesn't get them."

"Den he will get dem."

"I don't think you understand this task. The Books of Truth were hidden the very day they were written, nobody knows where they are, but I think that Marie could help in finding them."

"When does he want dem by?" Remy asked, just wanting to get out of the place. Emma chuckled, making the thief shiver. At times, Emma could be the nicest person ever, she was so beautiful, but Remy knew how frightful and manipulative she really was.

"You're not listening to me Remy. As good as a thief as you might be, The Books of Truth aren't something you can simply recover in a day, some people spent their entire lives searching for them, and they still remain lost."

"Why do y' t'ink dat Rogue knows where they are den?" Remy speculated that these must have been what Emma wanted Rogue for.

"She doesn't know where they are, but Destiny is, well, she _was_ Marie's foster mother."

Remy nodded, even though he didn't have a clue who Destiny was or what she had to do with these books Emma wanted. He turned his back on the White Queen, hoping that that was all she wanted. He really wasn't in the mood for anymore. Yeah, at times they were friends, but she never let him forget that he worked for her.

"Oh and Remy, is there anything you want me to say to him?"

"Yeah, y' can tell him dat he's a soulless bastard and Remy will fin' a way t' kill him someday." Remy didn't even hesitate with his words, every single one of them came straight from the heart.

"That's a no, then." Emma smiled. Countless times she had saved Remy's neck from the man above them all. Deep down, she really did like the Cajun, but she could never let her friendship for him come in between work; after all, he didn't just own Remy, he owned her as well.

Remy smiled back at Emma, even though she was a manipulative bitch, she really was alright.

* * *

_Now, all you have to do is click the blue button underneath. Hopee you liked this one 'cause i did._


	5. The Hellfire club

_A/N:_I know its been ages, but I'm back now, so rest easy

* * *

Chapter 5

"If it's all the same to you Remy, ah'll just give you a little backing. Ah did fly through the night just to save your cute little self."

_Rogue - Rogue #2_

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Rogue was back at the mansion within an hour of leaving and, as soon as she got through the front door, a swarm of people crowded her.

"Rogue! Are you okay?" Jubilee, one of the younger students, questioned her in concern. A barrage of voices started screaming at her so she was unable to make anything out from. Logan eventually barged through and dragged her into the kitchen.

"You alright, Kid?" He asked, scanning her body from any bruises or marks, but there were none to be seen. He could smell the Cajun and another scent. Logan recognized the scent, but it was from so long ago that he couldn't put a name to it. "Where have you been?"

"Ah'm fahne Logan, relax. Jus' went fohr a drive, that's all." Rogue smiled, trying to give the older man reassurance. Logan nodded, upset that she was lying to him, but he didn't let it on that he knew. She would tell him in her own time.

"Will you be seeing him again?"

"Yeah, Ah'm seein' him next week." Rogue shrugged, knowing that Logan didn't approve, but he, more than anyone else, would understand if he knew. If someone offered him the truth, he'd take it and accept it.

"Just be careful, Kid." Rogue nodded. "Oh, Bobby was looking for you."

Rogue sighed. She really didn't get him sometimes; yeah, she knew that he was unhappy with her for going with Gambit, but she always kept quite about Bobby spending more time with Kitty than with her, so why couldn't he keep silent too? Besides, while she was out, it would have given him a good excuse to spend even more time with the pretty brunette who was completely touchable.

The troubled mutant made her way to the danger room where she knew Bobby would be with the rest of the X-men. Miss Munroe was sure to shout at her for her tardiness, but, then again, as far as Storm was concerned, Rogue was out working on a project so maybe she wouldn't be too hard on her.

Taking a deep breath, she typed the code into the computer pad outside the Danger Room door and it slid open, revealing Nightcrawler in the control room.

"Ah Rogue, when your ready you can just slip yourself in." The furry blue mutant told her. His pointy ears reminded her of an elf.

Rogue watched him in concern. He was playing with the controls and she wasn't sure that he knew what most of them did because he was just pressing all the buttons and grinning.

"I'm ready to go in." Rogue announced.

Nightcrawler grinned and teleported over to Rouge before he transported her in the Danger Room, only he teleported her in the air to leave her fall all the way down to the floor. Rogue could still see the puff of smoke the first time he had teleported them and only realized she was falling till it was to late, it as just lucky that Piotr was at the bottom ready to save her in his organic steel form.

"Thank you." Rogue smiled, still in the strong mutant's arms. Piotr smiled back at her while Bobby looked at the two and frowned. Rogue was his girlfriend, he was supposed to save her, only he had been too busy fighting the giant robot with Kitty.

"You just going to stand there Colossus, or you going to give us a hand?" Bobby shouted, icing the robot's foot to the floor.

"I vas jus' giving Rogue a hand." Piotr shrugged, his accent strong and pronounced as he spoke.

"When you're finished handling my girlfriend, could you move your ass on over here?" Bobby snapped. Rogue glared at him; how dare he! Because Bobby had gotten distracted with shouting at Piotr, Kitty got hit by one of the robot's laser beams, sending her flying across the room, hitting her back hard on the steel wall. Usually, when one of the team went down, the session would be shut down, but not this time. They all stopped what they were doing, but the danger carried on. Rogue remembered seeing Nightcrawler playing around with the controls; he didn't know how to use them, she realized.

"What's going on?" Cannonball shouted, but no one had time to answer as they were all busy dodging beams and bullets.

Rogue ran around hopelessly, this session was completely out of her league. She had to have contact with a person to use their powers and she couldn't just suck the life out of her teammates, it was against the rules. All of a sudden, a red beam shot at her and was only inches away from her face before it suddenly dispersed she was grabbed around the middle and reappeared back up in the Control Room where Kurt was desperately pushing buttons.

"Yah have ta shut it down!" She shouted, completely unaware of how she had gotten there. It was just like that time she appeared in the garden after Kitty had knocked her down.

"I'm trying to, vut I don't know how!" Nightcrawler cried, pressing even more buttons. It was no use; the buttons he was pressing were just increasing the intensity of the training session.

Rogue closed her fist and punched the big red button on the side of the door that read _Stop_ and everything shut down. Nightcrawler chuckled at his stupidity and Rogue shook her head.

The other X-men down in the danger room collapsed to the floor, drained of all their energy. That had been, by far, the worst session ever—and they had thought Logan worked them hard!

After the hard training session, Rogue made a quick escape to the library, hoping that Bobby would forget what he wanted to speak to her about; she really couldn't be bothered with him right now.

Turning on the computer, she waited for it to loads up then typed _Emma Frost _into the search engine to see what came up. Ever since meeting the telepath a few hours ago, Rogue had become curious of her, so she decided to do her research and was amazed at what had come up.

_Emma Frost is not only a member of the elite __H__ellfire __C__lub but the White queen, the highest rank of the club. Many people wait years to join the __C__lub__,__ which only accepts those of high social class and those from wealthy backgrounds. _

Rogue sat completely enthralled by the article, she was now determined to find out about the Hellfire Club. Clicking back on the computer mouse, she went to the next link in the search engine.

_Emma Frost is the daughter to the wealthy Winston and Hazel Frost. She was born in Boston where she spent her childhood. Emma is the second of three daughters and also has an older brother. Some say that Emma's assistive partying and gambling is the cause of her cold, ruthless father__,__ but if you're the Chairman of the Board and CEO of Frost International, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees and headmistress of the __Massachusetts Academy__, you __probably__ have money to spare._

After reading articles about Emma Frost, Rogue typed _H__ellfire __C__lub _into the search engine and began to read. She skipped the first paragraph because it only said what she already knew from the previous article and went down to where it said _members._

_This elite club, originally from London, includes politicians, businessmen, and other powerful figures from around the world, and is renowned __for its immense celebrations__. In years past, it also was known for providing its members with pleasures, and __was __usually in violation of the moral standards of the time. Rumors have told that the __C__lub is a front for its __I__nner Circle, a select group of men and mutants who strive for world domination. Before Emma Frost and Sebastian Shaw took over as the Black Bishop and the White queen, the __H__ellfire __C__lub's ruling body was known as the Council of the Chosen, and its leader, The __W__hite King, threw his support behind Steven Lang and the __S__entinels._

Rogue could remember the big robots that collected mutants, even though she'd only been a child at the time. The robots were very intelligent and she as just glad that her mutation hadn't been triggered while they were around as there were many mutant deaths at that time.

_After the Sentinel __P__lan fell through, Sebastian Shaw, the Black Bishop, and Emma Frost, the White Queen, deposed the White King and Shaw became the Black King._

_Most notable members of the __H__ellfire __C__lub are famous business man, Sebastian Shaw, Emma Frost, __N__ew York __business woman__, Selene Gallo, wife of Senator Marcus Dominus Gallo, Lady Tessa__,__ and Regan Wyngarde, daughter of Jason Wyngarde__,__ who was also a member of the elite group. _

Rogue typed one more name into the search engine _Remy LeBeau__,_but nothing came up, not a single thing. Sighing loudly, she turned off the computer just in time, for Storm walked into the library not a second later.

"Here you are Marie." Storm's brow was furrowed.

"Ah'm Sorry, Miss Munroe." Rogue muttered.

"Don't be, I just wanted to talk to you about what happened in the danger room." She paused. "Bobby said one minute you were there, with them fighting, and the next, you were gone."

"Ah don' really know what ta tell yah, ah don't know much about what happened either. It's lihke what Bobby said, one minute ah was there, the next ah was in the control room."

"Has this happened before?" Storm asked patiently.

"No." Rogue lied, she was going to learn how to control her mutation, and the last thing she needed was to be on the hospital wing, being poked and prodded by Beast.

"I want you to go down to the hospital wing, Hank will run some tests."

"Ah don' need any tests, ah'm fine." Rogue protested quietly, this was the exact thing that she was trying to avoid.

"Marie, you are not fine. You teleported, don't you realize that? Teleportation is not your gift; we need to discover the problem."

"Maybe there isn't one." Rogue challenged boldly. "Mah gift, as yah say, is to absorb other people's power."

"Yes, and never before have you used that power at will," Storm pointed out snidely. "usually you only get it a short time after the absorbing. Your gift is growing stronger, much like all the other students." Storm could remember the first time her gifts had manifested; she could only conjure a small breeze, she hadn't learned the extent of her abilities until years later.

"Ah don't want to be examined! Ah don't see what the big deal is, yah said yourself, everyone else's gifts are growing, and you're not examining them."

"Rogue." Storm called after the girl, but it was too late, she was gone. Ever since her powers had come back, Storm could see a change in the girl. It was obvious that she didn't want to talk to the Weather Witch, but Storm wished that that she would talk to someone about what was going on with her.

* * *

Rogue was fed up of everyone treating her differently. When she took the Cure, some of the students had refused to talk to her for weeks. She had to go through months of people calling her a coward and traitor, but what did they know? At least they could kiss their partner, hold a hand; they didn't know what it was like to feel lonely. Even in a place as full as Xavier's, Rogue still felt lonely, a deep loneliness that only Logan could empathize with.

"Hey, Rogue, wait up!"

Rogue spun around to see who was calling her, to her dismay, it was Bobby

"Great." She muttered quietly.

"Are you alright?" Bobby asked, his voice full of concern. Rogue grunted, surprised that he was even asking. "Hey, what was that for?"

"What was that for?! Are yah serious! Ah was fallin' ta the floor, Bobby! Ah could have seriously hurt mahself, but you were too busy helpin' Kitty—an' then yah have the nerve to look at Piotr like he'd done something wrong for helping meh when you weren't!"

"It wasn't like that at all!" Bobby tried to defend himself, but Rogue was having none of it.

"Don't bother, jus' stay away from meh. Ah want to be alone raght now." Rogue turned her back on Bobby, walking as far away and fast as she could, leaving Bobby to watch go feeling guiltly. He didn't see her fall and Kitty did need the help, he tried to justify his action to himself.

Bobby sat on the windowsill, trying to work out what it was that Rogue wanted from him. He glanced up and noticed someone was sitting next to him.

"How long have you been there?" He asked the younger girl.

"Not long." Kitty replied with a small smile. "Want to talk about it?"

"It's just…Rogue's just been acting really funny lately; I mean, she went out of the school grounds with Gambit for god's sake, am I the only one that doesn't think it adds up?"

"She said she was doing a project and he was helping." Kitty shrugged, not thinking anything of it.

"But when would she have the chance to ask him? I mean, we haven't seen any of the Brotherhood for awhile." These questions kept going through Bobby's head and he was relived that he could say them out loud now.

"I don't know what to tell you Bobby, I guess the only one that can answer that is Rogue."

"Yeah, I know, but she doesn't want to talk to me."

Kitty just sighed, not really surprised. She was glad that Bobby had helped her, but if she were Rogue, she'd be upset with him too. Fair enough, he didn't catch her because he was busy, but to shout at Piotr for catching her, he had been way out of line there.

* * *

_I need a bit of inspiration for the next chapter, so come on, help a girl out and click the little button._


	6. Queen of hearts

Chapter 6

"I must confess, infuriating and arrogant as Gambit can be...those eyes, that grin, the body - it takes a girl's breath away."  
"Oh really? When next the opportunity presents itself...remind me to drop a truck on him."

_Jean Grey and Cyclops – X-men #1_

_

* * *

_

It'd been a week since Rogue had last seen the beautiful telepath and now, she couldn't wait for her next visit that would take place in just a few hours. There was a problem with it though, Storm had just announced that they were needed for a mission; a disturbance had been reported at some museum warehouse.

"Why are we going though?" Kitty moaned.

"I believe that mutants are the ones who started the disturbance." Storm answered, ignoring the groans around her.

"Is it the Brotherhood?" Bobby asked curiously.

"Possibly."

Rogue slipped into her leather X-men uniform, it was unusually tight which only meant one thing: she had put on weight since she last wore it six months ago.

"Ah don't see why ah have ta come." She shouted, jogging down the stairs.

Storm only shook her head. She remembered when it was Scott in charge, no one moaned then, he had been a born leader.

"You're part of the team." Piotr smiled at Rogue, answering her question. Bobby stood the opposite end of the room clenching his fist into a tight, cold ball. Kitty shivered as she felt the sudden cold draft coming from the person next to her.

"Will you knock it off? You can freeze stuff later." She told him off as they boarded the blackbird.

Storm, Logan, Nightcrawler, Rogue, Bobby, Kitty and Piotr all strapped themselves in. Storm put the jet on auto pilot and explained to everyone what was going to happen.

"This isn't an attack. We land, we check it out, and we do what we must. If I'm wrong and it's humans, then we simply disarm them and leave the rest to the police."

"What if it's the Brotherhood?" Bobby piped in.

"If you give me a chance, I was just getting to that." Storm's white eyes fell upon Bobby. "If they are mutants, we use our power against them to stop them, only if they fire first though!"

Rogue nodded before feeling a tingly something in the pocket of her suite, her phone

"Hello?" She answered it.

"_M__atinée chère.__"_

Gambit.

"How'd ya get mah number?"

"Ah, a t'ief never reveals his secrets." Remy replied evasively. Rogue could just imagine him grinning cockily.

"Yeah, whatever Swamp Rat. What do yah want?"

"Just t'ought I'll ring t' tell y' dat I'll be a bit late for our …erm …. Study session, is it? I have some business t' do first."

"Yeah, that's fahne." With that, Rogue pressed the red button, knowing that if she stayed on any longer she would become a victim of the Cajun's shameless flirting.

"Who was that?" Bobby stuck his head through the gap in the seat, making Rogue jump slightly.

"Jeez Bobby, yah tryin' ta give a girl a heart attack or what?" She asked, clutching at her chest. Bobby said nothing "It was jus' Rem… Ah, Gambit, tellin' meh that he was goin' ta be late, which is actually a good thing this tahme."

Bobby only nodded and went back to sit in his seat. Logan watched the whole thing from his seat at the front of the jet, wondering what had been going on while he was gone. Rogue jerked forward as Storm landed the plane: that was one thing she hadn't missed about being an X-man. Once on the ground, the team removed their seatbelts and prepared to go.

"Remember what I said, only attack in defense." Storm reminded them all.

The seven of them walked casually off the plane, expecting to be straight into the action, but as it turned out, there was none to be found on the roof

"Doors are locked." Kitty informed them. She phased through the door and came back again "Both ways."

"Out of the way, Kid" Wolverine extended his claws and, in two swift movements, the door was cut open from the middle on out.

"There are more civil ways of doing things, Logan." Storm admonished.

Rogue couldn't help but chuckle. Storm was talking to Logan like he was a child, and on some levels, he was, but then again, he was older than them all too. Logan only grunted before following Bobby in.

"There are four of them." Kitty informed, playing messenger girl again. Popping her head out of the wall, she made Logan jump—he'd been inches away from cutting that little sweet face of hers off.

"What have I told you about that? Don't do it!" He roared, his anger replacing his fear response.

"You sure?" Bobby asked Kitty.

"Well, I only saw four, so there might be more."

"So four at the very least." Nightcrawler confirmed

Logan shook his head. He was done confirming. Whatever happened to good ol' surprises?

* * *

"Where's Logan?" Storm asked.

"A little help would be nice Storm!" She heard Logan shouting from the other side of the wall.

Nightcrawler teleported in just in time to stop Logan getting his face burnt off. The rest of the X-men followed. Rogue ran behind everyone else, wondering just what she was supposed to do. Standing there, in full view was John, ex X-man, ex friend to all of them, really.

"I was hoping you would turn up" John grinned at Bobby whilst trying to scare him by making a picture of a dragon out of pure fire.

"John, you don't have to do this! There's still a place for you at the institute." Storm held her hand out, it's what they did, what Charles would have done.

"There is no John anymore." He revealed darkly. Instead of taking the hand that was offered to him, he shot a flame at it. Storm winced as the fire burnt through her white gloves; he really was beyond help.

Logan attacked first, he'd had enough of all the chat and burning Ororo was the final straw. Toad leaped into the air, fleeing the battle scene.

"Rogue, follow him!" Storm shouted just before she fell to the ground. Lance smiled, one down, six to go.

* * *

Rogue wanted to help Storm, but knew that it would only make the Weather Witch angry. She trusted that Ororo would get up by herself and, if she let Toad go, the whole team would be annoyed with her. The problem was, though, Toad was already getting away. He was so fast with his jumps, swinging from the ceiling so far away…well, that was until he failed to notice a pillar in front of him. He smacked right into it, falling straight to the ground.

"Got ya!" Rogue smiled, running to the scene. Although she didn't really know what she was going to do with him when she grabbed him. Touching him was simply not an option, she really didn't want to be able to jump that high or stick her tongue out that far and, as for questioning him, she didn't have the slightest idea what to ask.

Just as Rogue was inches away from the creepy mutant, she was thrown back by a small explosion.

Getting up from the floor, Rogue was about to take her gloves off and show whoever just tried to blow her up who they were messing with when she saw him. He was leaning against a massive crate with his arms folded. Red on black eyes glowed at her, making all the anger melt away, until she noticed his cheeky smirk

" Remy! What are ya doin' here?" She hissed, keeping her voice down. Remy didn't answer, only continued to smirk as though the answer was obvious, which it was. "…So this is ya bit of business that yah had to deal with?" Rogue sighed. "If the X-men see ya here, they won't be happy, and ah'm positive they'll be furious if you continued_ helping meh with mah project._"

"Den dey won't see me, _chère_" Remy smirked confidently.

"Yah nearly blew meh up!" Rogue accused.

"_Non, _merely makin' my presence known."

"By nearly blowing meh up." Rogue insisted.

They both stopped, listening to the struggle that took place only meters away from them, neither willing to move to help their team mates, both captivated with each other, although neither of them were willing to admit it.

"Wasn't expectin' de X-men t' be here." Remy explained, but, then again, there wasn't meant to be any threatening to hostage holding: Pyro always got a bit out of control.

"Ah wasn't expectin' you ta be here, either." Rogue quipped.

"_Etonnement._" /Surprise\ Remy grinned, opening his hands for the first time. Although Rogue had no idea what he was saying, he still made her chuckle.

The struggle had stopped and they could only hear the X-men now, it seemed the Brotherhood had been defeated.

"You need ta go." Rogue told him, listening to the footsteps that echoed through the cold room.

"Come wit' me"

"Wouldn't that look suspicious?" Rogue asked doubtfully.

"Maybe." Remy shrugged. Rogue shook her head and smiled at his apparent carelessness, but she knew he wasn't really careless. Everything he did was carefully planned out and organized, but he always seemed like such a spontaneous kind of guy.

"Pick meh up later." Rogue nodded to him. She could hear footsteps, so close now.

"Who are you talking to, Kid?" Logan asked, his uniform had small burn holes in it. Rogue quickly turned to where Remy was to see that he was gone, thankfully.

"Erm… No one, just Toad. We leaving them here?"

"Yeah, leave the police to handle it, it isn't out problem. Come on; let's get out of this place. Never liked museums before."

Storm came over and smiled at Rogue, then looked down to the passed out Toad.

"You coming, Storm?" Logan asked.

"Yes, I'll catch up." She replied. Something on the floor had caught her attention, a card. Bending over, she picked it up and noticed it was the queen of hearts; half of it was burnt off. Checking that no one was around, the African Goddess put it in the pocket of her leather suite. Little did she know that someone else was watching.

* * *

Back at the mansion, the blackbird was safely parked away and the X-men were now in Ororo's office, busily discussing what had happened and trying to figure out why the Brotherhood had targeted a museum.

"Did you see anyone else, Rogue?" Storm quizzed.

"No, only Toad, Lance, Pyro and Pietro." Rogue lied.

A knock came from the other side of the door. Before Storm could even tell the person to come it, it burst open, Jubilee on the other side.

"Gambit's here, I asked him in, but he insisted on staying in the car."

"Okay, tell him Ah'll be there in a minute, jus' need ta get changed."

"Tell him yourself" Jubilee sniped at her before disappearing; just because she was young didn't mean the rest of them could treat her like a slave.

Rogue rolled her eyes, teenagers.

"I'll tell him." Storm smiled sweetly. "Right, that's it; we'll forget the incident for now."

"Forget it?!" Bobby stood up and slammed his fist down on the wooden table, getting everyone's attention. "They're up to something and we're just going to forget about them?"

"That's it." Storm repeated icily, holding the door open for everyone. Bobby was the last one to leave and only because Rogue practically dragged him out. Storm smiled, Bobby could be a problem sometimes, but there was no question if he was dedicated or not. She locked the door and went to see to Rogue's guest.

* * *

Outside, Remy fidgeted with the lighter in his car. An annoying Asian girl had come out and asked him if he'd like to come in. Remy was never one for 'meeting the parents' and even though none of the people in the mansion were Rogue's parents, they were still her family, people she'd die for. The first time he'd said no to coming in the girl had then offered to bring him a coffee, he also rejected that, then she went onto getting him a newspaper until he politely told her to go away.

Remy looked out the window of his car and caught the eye of a woman with white hair; it wasn't grey, she was far too young to have grey hair. She had on jeans and a simple pink tank top; her muscular arms were obvious for all to see.

She came to the car and made a gesture for Remy to roll the window down. He obliged, anything for a pretty face.

"What were you doing at the museum?" Storm asked sternly.

"_N'est qu'une façon de saluer un vieil ami._" /Is that any way to greet an old friend?\ Remy grinned, his red on black eyes shining.

"Don't avoid the question, Gambit."

"Why Stormy, I t'ink y' are mistaken. Remy was nowhere near any museum recently." Remy's sweet, innocent-sounding voice was nowhere near believable, even if Storm hadn't found his calling card,

"I don't like being lied to, Remy. I found this." She searched in her jean pocket and pulled out half a playing card, the Queen of Hearts.

"Ask no questions, hear no lies."

"If any of the other X-men found it..."

"Lucky it was you den, _chère_."

"Gambit, please, if you're in trouble..." Storm was pleading now. She had known the Cajun thief for years, even though none of the X-men knew that, only Charles.

"Remy LeBeau's always in trouble."

"The X-men can help if you just let us." Storm insisted.

"If I let y' help, I'll only be getting y' int' trouble. Dere are some t'ings dat de X-men can't go up against."

"But it's alright for you to be getting Rogue into trouble?" Storm questioned him knowingly.

Now, she had Remy's full attention.

"_Quoi_?" /what?\ He asked in alarm.

"You helping Rogue with a project? Please don't insult me by lying." Storm scoffed.

"_Non chère. _Y' got dis wrong, I be de one helpin' Rogue, like I helped y' all dose years ago."

"Rogue's young, easily lead. If anything happens to her Gambit, anything at all…"

Remy nodded his head, he wouldn't let anything happen to the _fille. W_ell, she wasn't a girl anymore, more like young woman. There was something about her that he wanted to protect, he didn't know what, nor did he want to find out.

"I'm trusting you." Storm told him with a grave sincerity.

"Have I ever let y' down before?" Gambit said cockily.

"Yes." Storm didn't even blink, didn't even have to think about her answer. Yes, Gambit had saved her, but the thief was always on the run, looking out for number one, he saved who he could along the way to try to make up for his sins, but no matter how many people he saved, he would never be able to make up for his past.

* * *

_A:N _Whooo, finally. I promise, promise, promise, I'll update soon, but I need a lil help from you, tell me what you think then x


	7. Poker face

Chapter 7

"Come, chère...smile! dere's no reason for us not t' be havin' fun with dis little game!"  
"Gambit! This is thah Danger Room! An'...it's not a game!"  
"Pah! You too serious! Life's a game: an', if you give me de time...an' da opportunity...I'll show you...you..."  
_[A distracted Gambit doesn't realize that rockets are coming after him.]_  
"Gambit! Incoming! Behind yah! Gambit! REMY!"  
"Now isn't dis a cozy little tete a tete, chere? Love to stay here all day, but...it'll have to be 'nother time."

_Gambit and Rogue in a danger room training session after Gambit lands o top of Rogue after the rockets explode – Gambit #1_

_

* * *

_

Unlike the last one, the drive to the Hellfire Club was full of conversation, mostly Remy trying to get to know Rogue better, but she had other ideas in mind.

"What's thah Hellfire Club?" she asked.

Remy was so taken aback by her question that he almost crashed the car. He didn't know where she'd heard that name before, and he was more than sure that she hadn't heard it from him.

"'Y shouldn' ask questions 'y don' wanna know da answer t', _cherè."_ Remy went back to concentrating on the road ahead of him, hoping that he'd heard the end of her questions. Rogue glanced at Remy out of the corner of her eye; she saw as his shoulders tightened at the name of the infamous club, and she definitely noticed when he nearly lost control of the wheel. After seeing his reaction, how could she not want to know more?

The rest of the drive was silent, until they pulled up at the familiar courtyard. Fancy cars were parked all around the large fountain just waiting to be stolen. Remy pushed open his door, eager to check out the merchandise.

"Looks lihke someone's havin' a party." Rogue followed Remy, peeping in each of the windows, similar to what he was doing, only she didn't know what exactly she was looking for.

"Dis? _Non_, _cherè_. Dis ain't'a party. Y' ain't seen da parties in dis place." Remy revealed, remembering what Emma had told him the first time he had entered the Hellfire Club doors: _There's only one rule, you're originally a thief__,__ yes? Well we don't thieve from family, Remy, and we're you're new family. _

Remy moved on; Rogue followed him into the door, to the hallway with the portraits, up the grand stairs and into the room they had entered before. It was empty.

"Ah don't think anybody's home." Rogue watched Remy go deeper into the deserted room and pull back a set of white curtains that covered the whole back wall. A door had been hidden by the heavy white drapes.

"'Y jus' gunna stand dere?" Remy asked with a small smirk on his face, already standing by the door with his hand on the handle.

Rogue moved a white strand behind her ears and sighed. Sometimes she really wanted to bring Remy down a notch or two, especially when he looked at her with that half a smile of his and those mischievous eyes.

* * *

Rogue couldn't believe the size of the room they were in. Living in the Xavier mansion, not much could have made her speechless, but this place was massive. Several poker tables stood, not even filling half the room, two pool tables, a dozen roulette wheels, and loads of slot machines. It was like a real casino.

"Ah, Remy, finally! I've been waiting for a challenge. Why don't you take a seat?" Emma gestured at the empty seat next to her. Rogue noticed that there was only room for one more at the poker table, so she guessed she'd be sitting it out, which wasn't a bad idea, actually, considering she'd never played before.

Emma noticed Sebastian Shaw, The Black King, rake his chips closer to him.

"Where might you be going?" Emma asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't play poker with thieves, dear." Sebastian cast a glare at Remy.

"_Non_, but y'd play wit'a mind reader." Remy stated wryly, obviously amused.

Rogue watched as the tension increased. Sebastian looked like he was going to get up and hit Remy, although Remy seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Emma doesn't cheat." He muttered darkly.

"Oh Sebastian, please. I don't need to cheat; I can read you like a book, without even entering that mind of yours. Now you either play or leave the table, it's up to you." Emma glanced at everyone around the poker table. Sebastian was the first one to leave; he violently threw his chips into a black leather brief case and left. Over half the table followed him, by the time people were done standing, only three others had remained.

Rogue hadn't noticed her at first-she didn't really stand out or speak up , but she was there, sitting just opposite of the White Queen herself.

"Jean?" She squeaked. For the first time since they arrive, Emma looked over at the female mutant, interested in who she was calling.

Emma looked directly at the woman Rogue was looking at, her mind was so full of thoughts it was difficult to read, but it seemed Rogue thought that she knew the woman.

"You must be mistaken, this is Lady Phoenix."

Rogue could hardly move, The Phoenix. The creature that killed Xavier and Scott.

"Who is this girl" Came a cold voice from the table. It had Jean's flaming red hair, her eyes, her mouth, but it wasn't her.

Remy shook his head at Rogue, as if to tell her not to say anymore. He sat around the table next to Emma.

Rogue still couldn't believe it. She was alive! _It_ was alive!

"Tell me, Remy, why is it that I can't get into your head?" Emma shuffled the cards and dealt to each of the players.

"Y' mus' know by now dat a t'ief never reveals his tricks." Remy grinned.

Rogue was mortified. How could they all keep playing when there was a psychotic killing machine right next to them? Didn't they realize who she was?

"Cut the shit Gambit and just play." The third woman ordered. Just like Emma, the woman was blonde and equally beautiful, if not more so.

"As nice as ever, Regan." Remy greeted. He knew how dangerous it was to piss off Regan Wyngarde, but Remy LeBeau had always liked to live dangerously.

The game went on for about half an hour, with Regan insulting Remy whenever she could and Remy retaliating by smirking and flirting. Finally, everyone's cards were turned over for a last hand and Remy won. The Phoenix said nothing at Remy's big win, Regan grunted, and Emma smiled.

"If you excuse me Ladies, I have an appointment." Emma waited for Remy to help her from her chair. She didn't have to wait long, either. Walking over to the door, she gestured for a shocked Rogue to enter the room first.

Remy leaned against the wall with his arms folded neatly against his chest.

"How've you been, Marie?" Emma asked politely.

"Ah've been fine, thanks." Rogue answered with the same politeness.

Emma sat in her chair, attempting to get into Rogue's head, but there were so many thoughts going on at once that it was difficult. The only clear thing she could get was, Jean Grey, The Phoenix.

Emma knew exactly who Jean Grey was and who The Phoenix was. She couldn't have Rogue running back to the X-men, telling them that she was here. _He _would be very displeased with her. Doing the only thing she could, Emma erased Rogue's short term memory, making sure that she couldn't remember a thing about seeing The Phoenix.

"Marie, before we carry on with the session, I want you to know something. If, and only if you gain full control of your mutation, you're power will be limitless, you could become potentially the most dangerous weapon in the universe."

Rogue nodded, she understood, but there were far more powerful mutants out there. Her mutation was to take the gifts of other mutants, or if they were humans, then she would steal their life force. She could steer any power she could touch.

"What ' y' mean if?" Remy spoke up. He'd promised Rogue control of her mutation and he was damn well sure he was going to deliver, no ifs about it.

"Control of something isn't certain, you can have full control over your mutation, just a little control, or none at all. Currently you have none, am I right?"

Rogue nodded again at the telepath.

"I suspect, in your case, Marie, having a little bit of control will enable you to use your mutation at will. Like now, if you touch someone, you automatically absorb their life force, but once you get a bit of control that won't happen, you'll be able to decide whether you want to absorb them or not. Having full control of your mutation, I suspect you'll be able to use the powers you've absorbed whenever you want or they'll be permanently yours."

"Ah don't care abouh all thah power stuff, ah jus' wanna be able tah have normal relationships, or at least be able ta be close ta someone." Rogue confessed.

"Yes, but what I just told you is only my theory, it might not work like that." Emma added, beforehand to avoid any disappointment there might be at the end.

"Ah know." Rogue nodded.

"Ok then, we can get started. Why don't you tell me about the first time your mutation manifested?" Emma asked, holding both hands in front of her. Even as she sat down, her stomach was fully visible, there were no bumps, no rolls, nothing. She had a proper surf board stomach, making Rogue very jealous.

"Ah don't see how thahs gunna help thangs." Rogue mentally groaned. Talking about that day, for her, was extremely personal, not to mention embarrassing.

"Having control of something means coming to terms with it, and it's more than obvious to me that that's something you definitely haven't done." Emma smiled, she loved being right.

Rogue sighed. She couldn't believe she was going to talk about David and running away from home with a complete stranger and Gambit. Sure, most of the mansion knew, but she'd only ever spoken about it to Bobby and Logan.

"Ah'd been dating David awhile ahn we were up in mah room, jus' hanging out. Ah kissed him, ah don't know why ah did it, he was mah boyfriend, ah jus'..." Rogue couldn't finish her sentence, her voice was all croaky.

Emma sympathised with her, it must have been hard for her to realize that her kisses sent people into comas. Remy's heart broke for the girl, usually if a girl was crying in front of him, it was because of him.

"'ts ok _cherè_, y' don' have t' tell us anyt'in' 'y don' want t'."

"Ah didn't feel it pullin' 'till it was too late." Rogue went on. "He didn't struggle, Ah guess he couldn't. When ah finally did pull away, he fell onto mah bed. Ah screamed-ah didn't know what else ta do. Mah 'ma an' pa ran up, they saw David on tha bed...he was lifeless." Rogue was barely whispering now. Emma and Remy had to listen very carefully to hear what she was saying, but they didn't ask her to speak up.

"Were they angry with you? Is that why you ran?"

"No." Rogue conceded. "They called an ambulance and David's folks. Ah wanted ta go with him, but 'pa said no. 'Ma tried ta hug meh, but ah pushed her away. They tried ta sit me down an' talk about it, but ah refused. They were nothin' but nice to meh"

Emma and Remy were surprised. Emma's parents never knew that she and her two sisters were mutants, they would have never dared to tell them, either.

Remy never knew his parents, he only knew the man that took him in, Jean-Luc LeBeau, patriarch of the Thieves Guild. Jean-Luc taught Remy everything he knew. Before joining the guild, Remy was abandoned at birth; he guessed it was his red on black eyes that made his parents disown the small child. Remy grew up as _Le_ _diable_ _blanc_, a name given to him by members of the Thieves Guild.

"Why did you run then?" Emma was intrigued. If she told her parents that she was a mutant, a freak, she was sure they would cut her off, the same way they cut her junky brother off.

"Ah don't know." Rogue confessed. "Ah was scared what thah kids in school were gunna say, what David's folks were gunna say...what David was gunna say."

Emma couldn't believe it. Her family had accepted her and she still ran. A part of the telepath was jealous; countless times she had wanted to tell her father, but he would never have understood.

"I think that's enough for today." Emma announced "I don't want to push you too fast, besides, we've covered a lot today. Remy, can I speak with you?"

"Thank yah so much, yah don't know how much this means ta meh." Rogue smiled at Emma and left the room, leaving Emma and Remy to speak in private.

"Sometin' I can do for y'?" Remy asked, kicking his foot off the wall.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Emma eyed Remy up, trying to read his mind, but there was no change. Every time she tried to know what the Cajun was thinking it was like she ran into a static wall.

"What y' mean, _cherè_?"

"I mean not telling _him _about her. Remy, you're walking on very thin ice and, sooner or later, it's going to start to crack."

"Y' need t' stop worryin'. I can handle m'self." Remy assured her cockily.

"It's not you I'm worried about. If _he _finds out I knew there was a mutant of her potential here, it won't be you that has the worst of it, and I swear to God, I am not going down without you. All this for what? A pretty face?" Emma was deadly serious. Yes, she liked Remy, but if she had a choice of herself or him, number one would always come first.

"_Qui. _I know, an' _he_ won' know. I ain' goin' t' tell him, so dat jus' leave's y'." Remy glared at Emma, trying to work out what was going through her head.

"I already told you, I'll keep quiet for now."

Remy bowed his head in thanks before leaving the White Queen.

Rogue was already waiting by the car by the time Remy had come out. He unlocked the door and she got into the passenger seat, and strapped herself in.

"Emma seemed nice today." She told Remy truthfully, although around the poker table she seemed a tad arrogant, not even acknowledging the mutant she was supposed to be helping.

"Y' jus' got'a get t' know 'er." Remy smiled at Rogue before starting the engine up.

"Ah asked yah about thah Hellfire Club earlier, an' yah went all weird on meh. Ah think ah have thah right to know, especially when ah'm in debt to it."

"_Cherè_, 'tis not da Hellfire Club y' wan'a worry about. Dere are some t'ings more sinister." Remy said it so coldly that it sent a shiver through Rogue.

* * *

_A/N: _Bad me, very bad me. I know, I know. Sorry guys, sooo sorry. Thank you all for the reviews, I do love them, they are what keep me going, as slow as I might be. I'm so excited, Lady mastermind has made her entry, I love her, and she will have a much bigger role to play, i promise, as for Jean, not that big, sorry guys but there is a reason why she's back. Thanksss, let me know what you think.


	8. Faustian bargain

Chapter 8

"An' she's gone, snap, jus' like dat. An' look what she leaves behind - Gambit prince of t' T'ieves Guild, left standin' like a fool, pain in his chest...cause she stole my heart...gaspin' for air...cause she took my breat' away..."

_Gambit's thoughts - __X-Men #45 _

_

* * *

_

Nothing eventful had happened at the mansion, nothing at all. Logan had yet to leave, which Rogue found odd. It had been the longest he'd stayed since Jean died. Rogue had a strange feeling that she'd forgotten something, something really important, but she couldn't quite figure out what.

Storm had locked herself away for most of the day; she was secretly trying to figure out what Gambit was up to, but it was no use, she had no clues, no ideas.

Bobby and Kitty had spent the whole day together, watching movie after movie, whilst talking about Rogue.

"It's just a project, Bobby." Kitty told him, after listening to him go on about how suspicious it was and how Gambit was a bad influence.

"She could have gotten that project done last week! And why not do it here, at the mansion?" Bobby was talking to himself more than Kitty.

"I don't know." Kitty confessed "Maybe Gambit feels more at home wherever he and Rogue are going?"

"No, he's up to something and, mark my words, I'm going to find out what."

Kitty rolled her eyes. Could he be more overly dramatic? Rogue was a big girl, she could handle herself. She could make her own decisions, so why was everyone fussing over her? Besides, Gambit wasn't that bad. Sure, he'd made some mistakes, but wasn't it in the X-men policy not to judge? Didn't Charles Xavier teach them that everyone deserves a second chance?

* * *

Remy's apartment was nothing like anyone would have thought. He had the whole top floor in his name, which also came with multiple room access, perfect for the thief. Everything was neatly tucked away where it belonged; there were no objects lying around the apartment, nothing out of place.

He sat on his suede corner sofa with a laptop sitting on his knees and a cup of coffee on the small corner table. It had been a week and a half since he'd first heard about _The Books of Truth_, and he'd only just begun to research them. Every link he clicked on he kept getting the same small paragraph.

_The Books of Truth are legendary books, thought to hold prophesies and knowledge of the future. The books have been lost for what is believed __centuries__ and still remain__s__ lost__ today__._

Remy remembered what Emma had said about Rogue's foster mother. Destiny, he believed her name was. She had something to do with the books and he believed she was the key. Find Destiny, find the books.

Picking up his phone, Remy dialed several numbers and waited for a voice at the other side.

"Hello?" came a sweet southern accent, one that Remy could identify right away.

"Roguey?" Remy grinned. He could picture Rogue's red lips tighten together in anger. Oh, how he loved to wind her up.

"What yah want, Gambit?" She asked with no patience.

"Is dat any way 't treat'a friend?"

"We aren't friends." The southerner reminded him harshly.

"Now, deres no need ta hurt Remy's feelin's, is dere?" Remy could hear Rogue sigh, as if she had better things to do.

"Cut thah act Gambit. What do yah want?"

"A woman dat gets straight to da point, I like dat."

"Gambit!" Rogue warned impatiently.

"Oke, Oke. Da t'ing is, _cherè_, I be needin' y' help wit' somet'in." There was a pause on the phone, Remy guessed Rogue wanted him to give her reasons as to why she should help him. "I don' want'a remind y' Roguey, but y' made a deal wit' da devil, an' da devil wanna collect."

Rogue remained silent. She had no idea what he was talking about.

"I be over soon _cherè_, don' be long."

And with that, Remy LeBeau hung up, leaving Rogue baffled on the other end of the line.

The thief looked over at his form of transportation and decided it was time for a change. Pressing the button on his keys, the garage door opened, revealing what looked like at least ten years of theft. Remy decided on the motorbike, he knew Rogue wouldn't be happy with having to hold onto him, and that's what made it more appealing to him.

* * *

Remy stopped at the mansion gates. He noticed they had been replaced since his last visit. He waited patiently until the gates opened for him to enter.

The students at the mansion all looked at the guest who was driving up the drive. A few of them thought it was Logan, but then they noticed that the driver was careful not to break anything coming up the drive.

Alison Blair watched as the man skidded to a halt, revealing his identity. Ali ran into the mansions front door, determined to find a member of staff.

"Wow Ali, slow down." Bobby looked at the girl on the floor. She had been running so fast that she didn't see him and she had slammed right into him, knocking herself to the floor.

"I can't, I have to get Miss Munroe." Ali was in such a rush that Bobby could barely understand what she was saying.

"Slow down!"

The younger girl got up and pushed Bobby out of the way, she was about to run, but Bobby grabbed her hand. Ali started glowing, trying to provoke Bobby into letting her go.

"Oh no you don't. Why do you want to see Miss Munroe so bad?"

"Gambit's outside!" Ali yelled, wriggling to get free of Bobby's grip, but there really was no need. Bobby immediately let go at hearing the thief's name. The blond mutant girl fell to the floor, again. When she got up again, ready to use her mutation against The Ice Man, he was already gone.

Bobby stormed out to the garden, where Remy was admiring the flowers and trying to work out if the silver plant pots were worth anything.

Remy was caught off guard by the icy hand on his shoulder, but he didn't hesitate to remove the hand and take out his staff. Swinging around, Remy hit Bobby with the staff, knocking him to the ground. Once he saw it was a student on the floor, he immediately pulled back.

"Sorry, instinct." Remy apologized, it really was instinct. Growing up in the bad part of New Orleans, Remy had learnt long ago, attack first, ask questions later. Bobby didn't see it that way.

"What the hell?" He hissed, getting up from the floor. The plan had been to warn Remy against touching his girl. In no part of that was he supposed to be lying on the ground, bruised.

"_Je présente mes excuses." /__I apologize\. _

"I don't need your apology!" Bobby yelled harshly. Remy merely shrugged, he didn't give a damn if Bobby wanted or need any apology; he was just here for Rogue.

"Dat fine wit' me, _homme._" Remy shrugged. The two men looked each other up and down, both sizing each other up, both wondering the same thing: _Can I take him? _

Bobby and Remy had been so busy threatening one another with their eyes, that they hadn't noticed Rogue standing in the doorway with her arms folded over across her chest.

"Yah guys finished with thah display of testosterone?" Rogue was amused by the sight of her boyfriend and her… well, whatever Remy was to her.

Bobby was the first one to pull his eyes away. His hands were icy blue, as frost had been coming from them. He looked at Rogue with an innocent smile, not noticing his hands. Remy had yet to take his eyes from the _boy, _who was slowly turning his body into ice.

"Gambit and I were just having a chat." Bobby told Rogue sheepishly.

Rogue nodded, still smiling. It was his turn now. For about a year, Rogue had been jealous of Bobby and Kitty's relationship. Well, the boot was on the other foot now, and she sure as hell was going to enjoy it.

"What ahbout?" Rogue still had her arms folded across her chest. For the first time, Remy looked at Rogue and smiled at her. She looked beautiful, standing there with her hair billowing out behind her in the breeze.

"Popsicle was jus' tellin' me ta stay away from y'." Remy walked slowly over to Rogue, leaving Bobby in the same place, speechless. Once close enough, Remy took Rogue's gloved hand and brought it to his lips. The show was mostly for Bobby, but it was also an excuse for Remy to do what he'd wanted to do for awhile now. "_Vous êtes belles cherè__."_ /you look beautiful\ It rolled off Remy's tongue so smoothly that it would make any girl melt, even if they had no idea what it meant.

Rogue stood still, enthralled with the man in front of her. Usually, she had no problem ignoring cocky charmers, but this one was getting pretty hard to ignore. Remy, on the other hand, had been predicting what would happen next. _I might as well jus' be a psychic._ Remy thought cockily.

Rogue suddenly broke her gaze away from Remy and her eyes focused on Bobby as Remy's previous words registered to her. "Yah did what, Bobby!" Rogue yelled, annoyed that he'd do such a thing. "What gives yah thah right tah choose who ah do, or don't see!"

"I…I didn't say that." Bobby stammered, surprised by his girlfriends reaction.

"No, but thaht's what yah meant, isn't it? Stay away frohm meh? Ah tell yah what Bobby, why don't yah stay away frohm meh!"

Remy let out a small smirk that only Bobby could see, further enraging him.

"Rogue, please." Bobby pleaded , "Can't you see what he's doing? He's making us argue. Look at him!"

"Yah thah one making us argue, no one else. Ah'll talk to yah later, ah have to go." Rogue didn't wait for a response; she followed Remy onto the bike where he passed her back a helmet. They both sped off before Bobby could even manage to open his mouth to protest.

* * *

Remy came to a stop at the First Diner. He felt Rogue's arms slowly slacken around his waist as he pulled up beside a curb. The diner had a 50's kind of look; the outside was painted red and silver with round windows, showing the eating people inside. Remy held the front door open for Rogue to step through first; he guided her to an empty table by the window. It seemed like he had been here before; the way he was familiar with the seating plans, and how he seemed to know just what to order, and that the pretty little red haired waitress suspiciously knew his name.

"Yah usual, Remy?" The young girl asked with a small flirty smile on her face. She barely looked seventeen.

"_Plaire, _an' same for da lady."

"Comin' raght up." The girl spoke in a similar accent to Rogue's, only the waitress's was stronger. She disappeared for a moment, then appeared again, passing Remy a newspaper. "Someone cahme in here last naht, lookin' fohr yah Rem."

Remy looked up to the girl with a questioning look.

"Ah told her ah hadn't heard of yah."

"I knew I could rely on y', Izz." Remy winked at the waitress whose cheeks darkened to a bright shade of red. "Y' said she?_ C'est donc une femme?_" /So it was a woman\

"Uh huh. Pretty lil' thahng, blonde, bouh this hagh." Isabelle lifted her hand a few inches above her head, showing Remy the height of the woman that had asked about him. "Talks a'bit lahke yah, exept in'a hah'er voice, if yah get meh."

"Did she leave a name?" Remy questioned. Rogue noticed a hint of worry in the Cajun's voice. He had concealed it very well, she only just barely detected it.

"Hey! A bit of service here!" A man yelled from a different table.

"Ah'll be with ya'll in a minute, sugah." Isabelle shouted back, then turned back to Remy. "No, Ah told yah, she cahme, she asked, an' she left."

"_Mercy, _Izz."

The waitress smiled at him before leaving to do her job. Remy went back to reading the local newspaper, not even noticing Rogue tapping the table with her finger tips. She had no idea why she was here, or what he was going on about on the phone. Something about making a deal with the devil.

"So yah gunna explain?" She snapped

Remy's eyes looked over the newspaper to Rogue. "Jus' someone I don' wanna bump int'."

"Not about thah, about meh being here. What was yah on about on tha phone?"

"_Cherè_, dere are some t'ings y' can't rush, 'specially if y' not goin' t' like dem. Let's talk over some food, _qui." _It wasn't a question, Rogue knew that. It was a demand. He wasn't going to talk until they ate, and nothing Rogue could do would change his mind, no matter how much she wanted to know.

Rogue waited patiently for Isabelle to return to the table, she came back with two burgers, two mugs, and a round coffee kettle, ready to pour fresh coffee into their mugs.

"Would thah be all, sugah?"

"Y' want anyt'ing else, _cherè_?" Remy offered, taking out his wallet from the inside pocket of his trench coat.

"What Ah want is for yah ta tell me what ahm Ah doin' here." Rogue demanded irritably.

"Ah guess thaht's ah no thehn." Isabelle smiled at Remy, then at Rogue, sensing the tension between the two, she slipped away before things heated up.

"I t'ink y' forgotten da deal y' made wit' Emma, _cherè_. Y' 'elp 'er out, an' she 'elps y'. She callin' in 'er favour early."

Rogue thought for a time before saying anything. It was true, she had agreed to do Emma a favour when she asked for it, but she wasn't expecting it to be this soon. She was actually hoping to do the bidding of The White Queen after she'd mastered control of her mutation. That way, if the favour was too extreme or outside her boundaries, she could have refused and Emma wouldn't be able to refuse to help her.

"What does she want from meh?" Rogue came to a decision, there was only one thing she could do: do what was asked of her.

" Y' jus' 'elp t' find some books." Remy answered, taking a bite out of his burger.

"Thah's all?" Rogue raised her eyebrow, after thinking long and hard what Emma Frost would ask her to do, finding some books were definitely not on the list.

"_Qui. _What was y' expecting? She really not dat bad, _cherè._ She jus' like da rest of us, 'xept higher in da food chain."

"If thah's all she wants, why does she need mah help?"

"Somet'in 'bout y' foster _mere._" Remy shrugged. Rogue went pale.

"Ah haven't got a foster mother." She whispered so quietly that Remy almost didn't hear the words.

* * *

A/_N: _Is this another updtate? I think it is! Thanks guys for the awsome reviews, hope you like this one just as much.


	9. Childhood secrets

Chapter 9

"What makes you such a bitch, Emma?"

"Breeding, darling. Top class breeding"

_Jean & Emma – New X-men #116_

Logan sat in one of the kitchen seats, going over everything that had happened since he had come back. Granted, nothing at the Xavier's School for the Gifted was normal, but it was like he'd come back to an entirely different group of people, especially Rogue. He could remember her pleading with him not to leave, the tears slowly leaking from her eyes, like she was ashamed to show them. He knew she was sensitive, but she didn't like showing it very much. Every time he'd leave, he'd give her his dog tags as a promise that he would return.

* * *

He could remember the last time he left. He went down to the kitchen for a beer before facing her, but she was already there. She had her back turned to him; ignoring him pointedly as she poured herself a glass of milk. _Leave them on the table_. He remembered her saying without even turning around. She could tell when he was there, the smell of nicotine, beer, and men's aftershave were unique to him alone. _Look kid,_ he had tried to explain that he had to, but there was no use. _You're leaving again; just leave them on the table and go_. And he left, there was no goodbye, no hiding tears, just _leave them on the table_, he didn't even get his beer.

Bobby had whined at him about how he should have a word with the Cajun, warn him off. The boy obviously didn't know how much Rogue meant to him because he'd already done it. Red eyes, they were eyes that couldn't be forgotten, yet Logan had the strangest feeling that he had seen them before, long ago.

"Logan, here you are." Storm smiled, but as she got closer to the Wolverine her smile faded. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"How did it all come to this, 'Ro?" Logan took another swig of his beer before extending his claws to cut the cap off another bottle.

"Do you believe in fate?" Storm asked seriously, trying to hide the disapproving look on her face: Countless times, she had hid the beer from Logan, reminded him that this was a school and drinking on the premises was simply not an option. On one occasion, she had found a group of sophomores in the games room playing strip poker with a crate of Logan's Canadian beer and a box of cigars. She had given them all two weeks of cleaning duties, as well as banning them from leaving school grounds.

"All that everything-happens-for-a-reason shit?" Logan shook his head dismissively.

"We're all on this earth for a reason, even you Logan." Storm felt bad for him, she really did. He was older than any of them knew, older then even he knew, and the worst bit was that he couldn't even remember anything. "The professor once told me that we were all made for greatness, even those who we would never expect it from. I worked with the professor for years, doing what's right for the world, protecting those who hate us."

"There are people that aren't here that should be." Logan didn't sound angry, just tired.

"Jean?"

"She didn't deserve what happened to her."

"Neither did Scott or Charles."

"None of them did." He paused. "Who are we trying to kid? The school is highly understaffed; we haven't had a new student in God knows how long. This wouldn't have happened if Chuck was still here." Logan slurred, he didn't even notice that he'd upset Storm with his comment.

"Well, you're back now, Logan, so you can pick up a teaching position. As for new students, I have someone coming in the morning to look at the school." Storm stood up gracefully, containing her anger. It wasn't Logan's fault; he hadn't even realized what he'd said, not to mention, he was clearly drunk.

* * *

Rogue glared at Remy with her jaw wide open, wondering where the hell he had gotten the idea that she had a foster mother from.

"Where did yah get thah idea from?" Rogue's tone was still the same: surprised. Remy wasn't stupid, Rogue couldn't have known that the people she had been living with were her foster parents. He wondered for a brief moment if he should tell her the truth: he had to, he knew, how else was he going to find the books?

"Emma. Rogue y' need t' lis'en carefully. Y' folks, what were dey like?" Remy was serious, and Rogue knew this. He hardly ever called her that, it was _cherè_, or Roguey most of the time.

"Ah want to go home now."

"Rogue." Remy pleaded.

"No, yah listen here, yah either take meh home or yah take meh to see Emma. It's up to yah, Gambit." Rogue was quiet, but her anger was more than noticeable. Remy feared nothing, especially no woman, but right now, Rouge was looking extremely intimidating.

"'Y' don' wan' ta be seein' Emma in dat mood, _cherè_. She'd swallow y' up." Remy warned her, but all it seemed to be doing was displeasing Rogue further.

"Gambit, Ah'm warnin' yah, if yah don't take meh to see her…."

"Den what? What y' goin' do? I hate t' be da bearer of bad news, but _cherè_, if y' have t' touch me t' see, go ahead."

"Yah take meh ta see her, or Ah'll go mahself!"

Remy sighed; he didn't really have a choice. One way or another, she was going to see The White Queen, and her best hope was with him. He grabbed Rogue by the wrist and dragged her out, kicking and screaming. She was surprised that no one stopped him, no one even gave him or her a second glance.

"Take yah hands off meh, Cajun!" Rogue yelled, struggling against his firm grip.

"Y' don' know what y' got y'self int'." Remy let go of Rogue and threw her hard against the wall. "y' listen t' me _cherè_, an' y' listen good." Rogue shivered as she felt Remy's hot breath on the side of her neck. "Emma Frost ain' one y' want t' piss off, y' want t' talk t' 'er, dat's fine, Remy take y' t' talk, but dat's all. Y' don' go ragin' at Emma."

Rogue nodded. She had only seen the playful side of Remy, even in their battles, she'd see him grinning like an idiot, like he enjoyed the fight, This had been the first time she had seen the serious Remy. It scared her.

* * *

Sebastian Shaw stood in his indoor balcony, overlooking the people dancing beneath him. He had achieved many things in his life, many proud things, and other things he wasn't so proud of, but none of that mattered. Looking around him, he grinned at his success, although the original plan was to become a millionaire by the time he was twenty, and a billionaire by the time he was forty, it didn't matter if he was ten years behind, he had succeeded.

"What are you doing up here, alone?"

Sebastian turned around, surprised that he wasn't alone anymore. Emma was standing by the door, one arm on her curvy hip, the other playing with her long hair. He had been working besides Emma for years now, and in all those years, he had yet to figure the telepath out.

"All of this, is it worth it?" Sebastian looked around at all the gold, all the riches in the room.

"With the lying and the scheming? Definitely." Emma grinned, but as soon as it came, her smile faded. "The being a puppet bit, no. Nothing is worth having your free will taken away."

Sebastian didn't reply. When he had met Emma, she had been the coldest thing he had come in contact with in a long time. Over the years, she had warmed up and he couldn't help, but blame a certain Cajun thief, who The White Queen had formed a very close bond with.

"Free will, or no free will, this is the life." Sebastian smiled, eyes closed. Unlike his Queen, he didn't mind much being in the pocket of someone with more power.

* * *

Rouge stood outside the giant mansion, knocking franticly on the front door. Remy stayed behind her, lighting up one of his cigarettes.

"Maybe we should come back anot'er time, _cherè_." Remy pulled on his cigarrette, wanting to come back another time, maybe when Rogue wasn't so angry.

"Ah don't want to come back another tahme." Rogue protested. Just then, the door opened to an old man stood in a black tux. Rogue was coming to her senses more now and she realized that maybe, she'd been a bit rash, but it was too late now, she had come this far. "Ah want'a see Emma!" She demanded, holding her own.

The man glared at Rogue, looking down his nose at her.

"_Lady Frost_ will not be seeing anyone today." The man replied.

"Tell her Rogue wants tah see her."

The man didn't move, he only stood, holding the door before he spoke again.

"My apologies, but Lady Frost doesn't know a Rogue."

"Yah didn't even ask her!"

Before either one lost their temper, Remy stepped in, as cool and calm as he always was.

"Tell Lady Frost dat Remy LeBeau wanta see 'er."

Rogue shot a nasty glare at Remy. She could have handled this herself. She didn't need or want his help. The man did the same, only the response was different.

"Come in, Lady Frost will be with you in a minute."

"_Mercy_." Remy smiled at the man before he stepped aside to let Rogue go in first. "_Après vous." /_after you\

He only got a glare in return. The old man led them into a room filled with red and gold sofas and oak, wooden coffee tables. Rogue stared at the walls; again, the room had many portraits, one she recognized: Emma herself. Rogue's attention was stolen by the sharp click of heels on a wooden floor.

"I wasn't expecting you today, Remy." Emma's voice was cold and unwelcoming.

"Talk 't da _fille, _she da one dat want'a word."

"Marie?" Emma asked.

All of a sudden, all the confidence Rogue had gained from the diner had disappeared, she no longer wanted to confront the White Queen on what she knew about Rogue's life.

"Remy said that ah had foster parents." Rogue spoke quietly.

"I was wondering when we would have this conversation. To be honest with you, I thought Charles would have said something when you arrived to the school, obviously he didn't."

"Professor Xavier knew?"

"Oh yes." Emma chucked. "Charles was a great telepath, but an even greater hypocrite. Oh, do excuse me, I don't like speaking ill of the dead. He sat there in his wheelchair telling me _I_ was such a bad girl, when really, he was no different."

"Mah folks?" Rogue reminded her, trying to get the conversation back on that topic.

"Your biological parents gave you up at birth to the wonderful Owen and Priscilla, only they weren't Owen and Priscilla." Emma paused to study Rogue's reaction. It was a mixture of surprise, shock, confusion, and hurt. "You were brought up by mutants, Rogue. Why do you think that they were so understanding when your mutation manifested? Irene was Priscilla's real name. You might have heard about Destiny?" Rogue shook her head. "Well, Destiny was Irene. She came for you after having a vision of you, I don't know what the vision was about, but she thought you had a big role to play in the final battle."

"Wh…What about mah Pa?" Rogue's head was spinning. Destiny? What final battle? They had taken her in because some Irene had a vision? Just as she thought her life was going to get less complicated, it was suddenly getting more.

"Rogue, this will be a bit difficult for you, but Owen wasn't exactly a man." Emma explained in the best way she could. "I believe you already know her as Mystique."

"She...She can't be." Horror coated Rogue's words as her eyes bugged out with realization.

"Yes, I know it's all a big shock." Emma sighed, uninterested. What she really wanted was for Rogue to get over it and start telling her where the books were. "The sooner you accept it, the sooner we can move on to find The Books of Truth."

"Y' would have t'ought someone like y' would at least 'ave some social skills." Remy shook his head. Sometimes the beautiful telepath could be such an ugly person. Couldn't she see that Rogue was fighting back the tears? She had just been told that her whole childhood was a lie and she was expected to just get over it.

"Do not speak to me like that Remy! Don't you dare! You just remember who talked Sebastian out of killing you, who saved you from Lady Mastermind, so don't you tell me I have no social skills!" Emma hissed coldly.

Remy smiled at the memory of the little incident with Lady Mastermind. At the time, there was nothing to smile about, but looking back now, there was everything to laugh about.

"Would you like a tissue, dear?" Emma asked, at least acting like she cared.

"C'mon _cherè_, I'll take y' home."

Rouge nodded and let Remy lead her out of the room.

"_Au revoir belle femme._" He waved at Emma with his back to her, which might not have been such a good idea.

"Remy LeBeau, you come back here now!" She shouted, livid that he'd do such a thing. "I mean it Remy, you walk through that door and our friendship is over, there will be no more favors of any sort!" Emma jumped at the sound of the door slamming then turned to her butler. "I have social skills, don't I?"

* * *

Rogue walked to Remy's motorbike in a complete daze. She didn't understand it, some woman she hardly knew, knew more about her life than she did. A stranger had practically told her that her parents had given her up at birth and the people that raised her only did so because of something she was going to do in the future. And on top of that, her foster father, who in fact, is a woman, had tried to kill her. Was she supposed to believe it?

"'Y oke _cherè_?"

"Ah don't know what to believe." Rogue confided. She could feel the tears forming in her eyes, but she'd be damned if she let them fall.

"I don' wanta tell y' dis _cherè_, but Emma Frost, sure she a manipulative _femelle, _but she 'ad t' tell y' so y' could find dese books." Remy confessed

"Thah women who brought meh up tried to kill meh, Remy. What does she want meh to do? Go back there an' ask her them where these books are? It ain't gonna happen."

"C'mon, let's get y' 'ome."

Remy straddled his motorbike, followed by Rogue, who put a welcoming hand around his waist and leaned her head against his back. For some strange reason, she felt comforted by the closeness, by him.

* * *

_A/N: SORRRRY! I do have an excuse though, I have no internet at home, and U have literally been working non stop. The only reason I even got this chapter out to you, is because I'm off work for a few days due to sickness, and I'm over my mothers, so taking full advantage_.


	10. Royal Flush

Chapter 10

"I'm sorry, cherie. dis is all my..."  
"Forget it, Gambit. But you should go, too. The rest of my crew probably ain't far behind."  
"Why not come wit' me?"  
"Don't push yah luck, LeBeau. Ah like yah, but Ah haven't forgotten how we met."  
"The circumstances were...not de best. But we're like those couples dat get toget'er after surviving da same plane crash, yeah? No one else alive understands what dey've been through!"  
"Ah…Ah need some time alone."  
"Me, too. We can be alone toget'er, Rogue."  
"Yah don't have to call me that, yah know. Rogue is just the handle mah folks hung on meh when Ah used to get intah trouble. My Christian name's Marian...like Robin Hood's girl."  
"I'll let you be whoever y' want t' be. You know I got more in common wid y' den wit' y' friend back dere. Y' seen my past! No matter what I done, y' know my heart's always been in da right place!"  
"Those memories Ah stole from yah have already faded away, Remy."  
"Then I'll give y' more."  
"No, if...if Ah touch you..."  
"It's all right, Marian. I'm not like ot'er men. I can take de pain…" ~

_Gambit and Rogue, right before he takes her in his arms and kisses her - Ultimate X-Men #53_

* * *

Rogue jumped off of Remy's motorbike, thanked him, and watched him as he sped away. She didn't have the energy to do anything else, so she ran up to her room and slammed the door after her. So many things didn't make sense in her head; she didn't know how she was going to get through the night. Her whole life had been based on a lie, and the worst part about it was that Professor Xavier, a man Rogue thought highly of, knew all along.

There were a million questions flashing through her mind, but the one that bothered her the most was: why. Why didn't the professor tell her? Strangers knew more about her life than she did; surely there was something wrong there.

Rogue sighed. She had paid the price for her dream, who knew that the truth could be used as karma?

"Rogue?" A small voice from the other side of the door called.

Rogue said nothing, she just wanted to be alone right now, but in a school as big as this, that was nearly impossible.

The door creaked open slowly, revealing Kitty Pryde. Rogue chuckled silently to herself; she couldn't remember the last time Kitty had used the door. Neither girl said anything, the younger one walked over to the bed Rogue laid on and sat herself down.

"Want to talk about it?" Kitty asked, breaking the silence.

"Nothing to talk about."

Kitty sighed, she had known it wouldn't be easy, but she was hoping that this time, she'd open up.

"I remember my first day here." Kitty reminisced, hoping to get closer to Rogue. "I was terrified. My parents came with me to look around the school with me. When it was time to go, I clung onto them, scared to let go. The professor managed to calm me down and they left shortly after. For the next month, I phoned them every day, went home for weekends, and kept close contact with them, but eventually, I started making friends, getting to know the place better, and nightly calls turned to weekly calls, and weekend visits turned into holiday visits."

Rogue hadn't seen the point in the story, it was meaningless to her, but Kitty was hoping for an exchange.

"What yah want meh to say?" Rogue asked icily.

Kitty looked away from her friend, fearing that she might have pushed her away before even getting close.

"Fine, be like that!" Kitty snapped, tired of trying. "But know this, one day you're going to need a friend and I just hope that you haven't pushed them all away, for your sake, Rogue."

With that said, Kitty left, slamming the door on her way out. Rogue lay back down on her bed; she'd always have Logan, she told herself.

* * *

Gambit parked his red Harley in _his _space. He'd been coming to the same bar for months now, doubling his earnings, and spending them on drinks and for some lucky lady of his choosing. Remy LeBeau was a stranger to the seedy bar, there was only Gambit. He pushed the door open, and strutted in with more confidence than a supermodel, forgetting his real name, and leaving his morals, the little he had, outside with the Harley Davidson.

His table had already been occupied by keen poker players, determined to win their money back from the previous game. Remy grinned before sitting himself down, and shouting his order to the barman.

"You're late." One man grunted. His jeans were ripped, and he wore a plain black tank top with a straw hat. The man's face was covered in small scars that looked as if they were from a pocket knife. In his lap, a petite blonde sat, her hair in waves, and, like the man who Gambit assumed was her boyfriend, she wore ripped denim hot pants and a brown waist coat with nothing underneath.

"Y' jus' early." Gambit replied, giving the girl a small, half smile. She giggled shyly in return. "Y' bring a _belle fille_ like dat t' a bar like dis, _homme? __Cherè_, y' want someone who gunna take y' t' places worthy of dat_beauté._"

"I don't know what you just said Gambit, but I don't like the way you're looking at my woman!"

Woman, yeah, she was all woman, top half and bottom half by the looks of it, but she was just a kid really, barely out of High School. Gambit guessed that she was the rebellious type. Unlike the popular cheerleaders, who dated college boys, she dated men, mainly the rough ones. Maybe to get one up on Mommy and Daddy, or maybe because she liked to live dangerously.

"Rex!" Another man warned.

Gambit turned his attentions to the man that just spoke.

"So Eddie, y' back. I would'a t'ought dat y' would'a 'ad enough after y' gambled y' daughter's birthday money away."

"That's why I'm here, I need to win it back." Eddie sulked. He knew he should never have done it, but the temptation was too much. Eddie was older than anyone else around the table; he had three children, two boys, one girl. She was his precious princess, and that's why he had come back.

"Y' should'a folded _homme. _No one beat Remy yet, an' dat's da way it goin' stay. How old's y' daughter now Edd?" Gambit asked casually.

"Not old enough." Eddie grimaced at the thought of his little girl with the mercenary Gambit. They all knew what he did. People came in and out of the bar asking for a Gambit, they were sent over to the thief's table.

"Not old enough? I seen the rack on your girl and, judging by them, she's old enough." Jimmy, the last poker player chuckled. Eddie held his fist in a tight ball, remembering why he came. He had to win his money back.

The bartender, Derrick, narrowed his eyes at the table. He didn't want any trouble in his bar, but he didn't do anything to stop it either.

"Are we going to play poker or what?" Rex took a swig from his beer, taking a long look at each of the players. Eddie was a gambling addict, he could never bring himself to stop and that's how he ended up gambling away the money for his daughter's birthday present. Jimmy was a criminal, in and out of prison for various reasons that only he knew. Gambit suspected he'd been in for rape because of his perverted tendencies. Rex liked to think that he was something big, wore his straw hat everywhere, and went on about his ancestor being John Wayne. Sometimes Gambit struggled not to laugh at the man.

Gambit pulled a deck of cards out from the inside of his trench coat pocket, he began to shuffle them, but Rex stopped him.

"No, I'm going to deal for a change." Rex shuffled the cards slowly, making sure each of them were in different places than they were before. When they were ready, Rex dealt the cards to the left of him until the final card had been dealt.

"I'm going home in the money tonight!" Jimmy howled.

"We'll see." Eddie retorted, sweeping his eyes over his cards. Nothing, not even a pair.

Gambit remained silent, studying his opponent's faces. He threw a fifty dollar bill into the pile of money in the middle of the table.

"Go on baby, see the man." Rex smiled at the woman sitting on him. She pulled out a few bills from her bra, earning a whistle from Jimmy and a look of curiosity from Gambit. "Well the lady's spoken, I'll raise you another fifty."

Eddie could feel his palms sweating and there was no doubt in his mind that his hairline was soaking wet. He couldn't fold now, he had to get his princess something nice for her birthday, he just had to.

"Fifty? Please. I thought we'd be playing with the big money tonight."

"Y' want'a play for big money, _homme? _Den we play for big money." Gambit smirked, things had gotten interesting.

Eddie frowned. He didn't have the kind of money the rest of them were talking about. The only thing he had that was worth something was his car.

"Now this is what I'm talking about." Rex nodded, as he threw a wad of money into the pile.

"Y' can waste dat much money, but y' can't take y' _fille _out somewhere nice?" Gambit counted how much was in the pile of money then doubled it. "Come out wit' Gambit sometime _cherè_, he'll show y' a good time."

The blonde girl bit her lip; she smiled at Remy, but remained silent.

"You better keep that big mouth of yours shut, Cajun." Rex gritted out through clenched teeth. He turned to his woman and took her lips in a deep kiss, marking his territory, only Gambit wasn't getting the message.

"Wid me, y' wont 'ave t' act as if y' like it." Remy smirked, commenting on the kiss, further enraging Rex.

"If you don't shut up, I'm going to shut you up!" Rex held onto the woman in his lap tightly, possibly bruising her skin. "Now Eddie, you either see it or you fold, it's up to you!"

Eddie's palms had been drenched, as he contemplated whether or not to gamble away his car. It was the only thing on him worth that much money, and if he won, well, he could easily buy a new one, a better one. It was worth the risk. Eddie threw in his keys, breathing heavily as he did so.

"What the hell are these? I thought we played for money?" Jimmy lifted the keys and took a good look at them. Knowing Eddie, they were probably the keys to a storage locker somewhere.

"Keys."

"I know that! What kind of keys!" Jimmy sniped.

"Car keys."

The three men looked around, all deciding if the car could be used.

"Baby, what you think?" Rex asked.

"Well, it's an improvement from your truck."

"Y' drivin' da _fille _aroun' in'a truck? _Chere_, y' leave wid me an' y'll be goin' back t' my place in'a Harley Davidson." Remy bragged.

Rex ignored the Cajun, despite the fact that it was extremely hard for him, but he managed it. He had been to the bar many times before, played poker with Gambit even more times, but only once he had brought his woman with him.

The stakes had been raised much higher. Eddie had been forced to fold, after gambling away his car and his gold wristwatch. Jimmy had been determined to bluff his way through the first round, but he had no idea the stakes would be this high so fast, so after Eddie put his gold watch down, he bitterly folded. There was only Gambit, and Rex left in the game, and Rex was running out of money quicker than he'd like, Gambit knew this.

Rex studied his cards, two aces to play off the board, which already had two aces down. Four of a kind, he couldn't give up now, but he had nothing left to bet.

"I tell y' what _homme,_ I raise y' five t'ousand." Gambit threw another wad of money into the middle. Eddie wondered why someone would be carrying that much money around with them.

"I don't have the money with me." Rex sighed.

"Den Gambit's goin' be generous. Y' raise me wid dat _fille _of y's."

Rex looked at his cards, to the girl on his lap, and then at Remy. Four of a kind, he had a pretty big chance of winning. There was only one other hand that could beat him right now.

"You're on." Rex agreed without even asking the young woman. He grinned as he showed his cards to the poker players. Two pocket aces to play off the cards in the middle, A A K 10. His hand was golden.

"Four of a kind." Gambit commented. Rex nodded. "Royal flush." Gambit smiled at Rex's unbelievable reaction. He was about to collect his earnings, when he heard someone ask for him the other side of the bar.

"Remy LeBeau?" A mysterious man asked the barman. He had his yellow trilby hat on low, so that it shadowed his face. The hat matched a yellow suite and the man looked like he was some big, bad gangster.

"Never heard of the guy." The barman answered, unfazed.

"Gambit?" The man didn't even have to think, if he wasn't going by the name Remy, then he was definitely going by Gambit.

"Over there." The barman grunted, nodding at the table in the corner.

"_Mercy." _The man thanked.

Gambit pocketed his earnings and got up rather quickly, too quickly for the men's liking. Normally, Gambit was one to gloat, buy everyone a drink or two, he'd never just take his earnings and go.

"_Cherè_, I was never one t' disappoint a _femme,_ especially one as _belle _as y', but in dis case, I'm gunna have t'." Gambit took a quick glance at the door, he couldn't make it. The man had already passed it, there was only one way out, the rest room window.

"_Le_ _Diable_ _Blanc_!" The man called from afar.

That name, that voice, that accent.

"Looks like t'ing's 'ave changed, _cherè_, if y' don' mind waitin' f' me, dis shouldn' take long." He didn't wait for a reply, didn't even notice Rex taking a stand.

"Henri? Is dat y' _frère?" _Gambit asked, unsure. He hadn't seen his brother in years, not since he left New Orleans.

"_Qui." _Henri answered. The brothers hugged, but their embrace was cut short by Remy's curiosity.

"_Il a été quoi? Quatre ans? Que vous apporte à la grande pomme?"_ /It's been what? Four years? What brings you to the big apple?\

"_Je voudrais pouvoir dire que j'ai été ici pour vous voir Remy, je le fais, mais j'ai peur que ce n'est pas la raison pour laquelle je suis ici."_ /I wish I could say I was here to see you Remy, I do, but I'm afraid that's not why I'm here.\

"Den why are y' 'ere?" Remy knew his family. Business, it had always been business. That was the reason Jean-Luc took him in as his own, because he could pick pockets well.

"_Vous avez besoin de revenir à la maison. Pa 'a pas eu le sentiment de bien à tous, et il ya une merde en cours avec les assassins, il est trop malade pour y faire face, et je ne peux pas le faire seuls._" /You need to come home. Pa' hasn't been feeling well at all, and there's some shit going down with the Assassins, he's too ill to handle it, and I can't do it alone.\

"Bella, she been lookin' f' me." Remy told him.

"Belladonna still pissed wid y' _mon frère, _she be wantin' blood since y' left, y' blood."

"I can handle Bella." Remy confessed, earning a laugh from Henri, and he knew why. He could remember the time he and Bella were engaged, she'd been out with a few of her friends and he'd been out with his, only he'd come home with someone totally different. He heard Bella come in through the front door and, in a complete panic, he climbed out of the window, leaving the naked woman in their bed for his fiancé to see.

After that night, he hadn't gone home for days. Bella was livid with him, leaving hundreds of messages, and telling all the casino owners and bar owners to tell her if they saw him. In the end, Jean-Luc had found him and dragged him back to his fiancé, screaming that he was not going to screw this up for him.

"I ain't comin' home, Henri. Now, if y' _excusez-moi, _I 'ave a _fille _t' entertain." Remy winked.

"_Elle vous y trouverez_" /She'll find you\ Henri warned.

"I know."


	11. Love all, trust few

Chapter 11

_"Yah twisted son of a...wait. Nothing...nothing happened. Ah touched yah and ah didn't feel a thing." __  
"Makes one of us..." ~_

_Rogue and Gambit, after she hits him - Ultimate X-Men #52_

* * *

Remy woke up the next day with a pain in his face. He had split his lip, gotten a black eye, taken a beating, and for what? He grinned, he knew exactly what for and he'd do it all over again. The girl beside him rolled over to face him, she had woken. The night had been a good one on the whole, except for the unnecessary beating.

"_M__atin." _/morning\ Gambit smiled. Unnecessary beating? Well, maybe he had deserved it, but he was only collecting his winnings. After he sent Henri away, he went back to his table. Rex had smashed a bottle over his head and landed a few punches. None of the other men said or did anything, not even Derik, the barman.

Kimmy, the girl that he'd won, had been screaming at Rex to stop. When he finally did, he immediately left. Remy assumed that Kimmy was short for Kimberly, but he never asked her, names weren't important to him.

"I better get going." Kimmy yawned.

Remy was never one to drive the women he slept with home, but he would always pay for the cab and make some breakfast.

"_Non, _stay 'till noon, den I can call y' cab." He insisted, already out of bed. "Y' welcome t' use de shower while I make somet'in' t' eat."

Kimmy smiled. She had never met anyone like Gambit before. Usually, she woke up next to someone, then left, getting a bus or train back to her house. No one had offered her to use the shower, to call her a cab, or to make her breakfast. Although Kimmy liked Gambit, she knew that it was just another one night stand, that nothing would ever come of them.

Remy hadn't been in a relationship since his wife, well, if you could even call that a relationship. He had one rule for women: never trust them. They were sneaky, manipulative, and insanely jealous. Remy realized this after getting engaged to Belladonna, although, to be fair, he might have brought on her jealous streak. Doing business with men always went so much smoother. He hated being in business with Emma. White Queen, yeah right, more like Bitch Queen. And the fact that she barely wore anything didn't help either. She would sometimes catch him looking at her chest and then she would find a way to increase her good qualities, so that he would do as she wished.

He went to counselling once in New Orleans. It wasn't his idea, he didn't even want to go, but Bella had insisted on it. The councillor came to the conclusion that he had commitment issues, which was ironic since he'd been forced into it in the first place. When she found out the verdict, she had forced him out of the house by hitting him with a tea spoon.

Remy rummaged through his cupboard, trying to find something that Kimmy would like. He didn't know her, but he knew her type. She was the kind of woman that didn't expect much from a relationship, his favourite type of woman. He'd been with many types before and there was only one type that didn't suite him. The ones who expected too much. Remy didn't know many of these women, but from what he had observed, Rogue was definitely one of those expectant ones.

XOX

Belladonna Boudreaux stood in an apartment that overlooked many others. She gaped at the window that took up the length of the wall. There he was.

She had spent weeks looking for him, almost blew her cover by being frustrated at the fact that she had no leads. He was a difficult person to find, but she was an Assassin, and the best at that. She was the only living heir of Marius Boudreaux, patriot of The Guild of Assassins, which she could thank Remy LeBeau for. New York, how had she found her way to The Big Apple? It was so much different to New Orleans that she wondered how Remy coped. The first day she had arrived, a man had knocked her to the floor. He didn't even help her up. Did they know who she was? What she was?

Bella drew her curtains, afraid that Remy might see her. She had only found him because of his brother. After she went to the diner, he had been in a dark car. She had followed him around for days, until finally she found him at a bar, gambling of course. People never changed, they were so predictable. She followed him to his apartment, careful to remain unseen.

"He der, why ain't we doin' anyt'in'." LeRoy asked.

Marius had insisted that Bella take some of his men.

* * *

"New York is a dangerous place, Bella. Y' won't go alone." Marius told his daughter.

"Dangerous? New Orleans _et_ dangerous, an' I manage 'ere, do I not?" Bella argued. She was an independent woman, she didn't need looking after, she could take care of herself.

"_Non. _Dis is not up f' discusstion. Y' go wid LeRoy, an' Claude, or y' don' go at all. I 'ave lost one child t' LeBeau, I won' loose anot'er." Marius's words were final.

Bella sighed. There had been no point arguing, once her father made up his mind about something, there was no changing it. She subtly wiped an unshed tear from her eye, careful to make sure that no one noticed. Ever since her brother's murder, her father had become a stranger to Belladonna. He sat in his office, tracking down Remy LeBeau or taking out members of The Thieves Guild.

All of her life she had remained second best to the perfect killing machine, as her father once said. Julien had been emotionless, never getting close to anyone. He feared nothing except his father.

"Y' will leave in seven days. I don' want y' back 'till da job is done, y' understand?" Marius instructed coldly.

Bella nodded and, without another word, she left the room. Once in her own privacy, she let the tears drop freely. She had willingly volunteered to take the hit on LeBeau, desperate to prove to her father that she was as good as Julien, if not better.

Reaching under her bed, Belladonna pulled out a drawer full of weapons. Her fingertips brushed over the different guns and knifes, deciding which the best end was for Remy. Bella pulled the silencer from the box. She hated the sound of a gun, which was rather ironic really, an assassin afraid of a gunshot; it was like a baker afraid of bread.

* * *

"We waitin' f' an opportunity." Bella hissed, annoyed that her father would send his most inexperienced men. She knew Remy better than anyone else, as he knew her, and rushing straight into something would only lead to disaster.

"He right dere, what better opportunity y' goin' t' get?"

Bella turned from the window, finally facing the man who questioned her. LeRoy had just had his twentieth kill before going to New York, making him worthy of joining the Guild. Maurice wouldn't take anyone serious until they reached the number twenty; otherwise they were just men that could be spared.

"Dis ain't up t' y'! It ain't y' call t' make."

Claude watched as Bella swiped her hand across LeRoy's face. He knew better than to piss the boss's daughter off.

* * *

Logan stopped outside Rogue's room. She had been quieter than normal and it was really bothering him. He contemplated knocking the door, but decided against it, not wanting Rogue to feel like she had to talk to him.

When things got tough, he ran. That was the kind of person he was. Physical stuff he could handle, but not emotionally issues; he was incapable of dealing with such things, but since joining the X-Men, he was learning. He just wished that Rogue would too.

* * *

Regan Wyngarde sat conformably in The White Queen's chair. She had always liked Emma; after all, she wasn't much younger than the telepath, but if the price was right, she'd stab her in the back. It wasn't her fault really; she had been brought up like it. Regan's father, Jason, the original Mastermind, had been tough on both of his daughters while they grew up, determined that one of them would carry on his legacy.

At first, his daughters showed little hope of inheriting the X gene. But a few days after Regan's thirteenth birthday, it seemed she possessed the same gift that did, only stronger. Unlike him, both of his daughters knew just how to terrify his victims; they knew their inner most fears. Jason regularly took Regan to the Hellfire Club, showing off his little pride and joy. By the time he died, she was old enough to take his place in the elite club and she jumped at the offer. Her sister on the other hand wasn't as lucky as Regan.

He had treated both of his girls equally, but it was Regan who showed the most promise, so he spent most of his time helping her develop her gift. Martinique had always been jealous of her sister and father's relationship, not really understanding why he preferred Regan.

When he died, Martinique discovered that Regan had been chosen over her to join the Hellfire club, only further enraging her. They were both equals, one wasn't more powerful than the other, so she didn't get why she was always second best. They were both very similar in appearance and personality and their mutation was identical.

Regan opened the file on the table next to her. It was full of her sister's details, whom she hadn't seen since her father's funeral. Apparently Martinique had been living in Rome, but what really interested Regan was why Emma would have a file on her sister.

The door creaked open and a red head swayed into the room. Regan could remember _his _orders: _She is not to leave your sight __and,__ if she runs into any of the X-men, call me immediately. She must not remember Jean Grey, otherwise, everything is ruined. _But Emma didn't call him. Regan couldn't believe she was socialising with an X-man without even a word to _him._

All of her life, she had been the centre of attention, but all that changed when she came to the Hellfire club. It was Emma Frost who was the main attraction, _his _favourite. She wondered briefly what he would do if he found out, but quickly shook the thought from her head.

"How's your day been?" Regan smiled, removing herself from The White Queens throne.

"Sebastian and I went to visit Eric. It seems a breakout is necessary." Phoenix revealed.

"And I suppose you need my help?" Regan already knew the answer. Emma had told her what was going to happen. She would create an illusion so Eric could simply walk out. Sebastian would be waiting for him at the entrance of his prison, ensuring a safe passage to the limo.

"That would be preferred. Now, if you excuse me, I have a lot to do." Phoenix turned her back on Regan and walked out through the door, leaving Regan once again alone, but she didn't mind.

The file she had had came across had bothered her more than she would have admitted, especially after all the previous drama with her sister. She didn't have time to ponder as a stranger entered the room.

He was like no one she had ever seen before. Ghostly white with a red diamond shape in between his eyes. What looked like spider legs came from his back, but there were more than eight and he was in good shape.

"Lady Mastermind." He acknowledged.

"Mr. Essex, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." Regan held out her hand, not letting on that the man sent chills up her spine.

"Please, call me Sinister, Mr. Sinister." Sinister's eyes glowed an even redder colour, truly living up to his name.


End file.
